Page 12 - Respond 2019 Magazine
P. 12

/ Signify (the new name of Philips Lighting)






       How buildings can pave the



       way for the electrical vehicle



       revolution, while keeping



       global warming within the



       ‘Paris boundaries’





       By Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public & Government Affairs,
       Signify (the new name of Philips Lighting)



               ou may wonder why a climate change article combines buildings and transport
               as these seem two different unrelated subjects. How are these related in energy
               and climate scenarios, and what can one recommend that links these areas
      Ytogether?


       Although the climate rhetoric may differ   Based on predictions made by the IEA,
       at federal level in various countries on   even without the addition of EVs to the
       this planet, the situation is that almost   grid, a 12% absolute reduction in building
       everywhere the projected CO2 emissions   electricity use versus business as usual
       reductions from consolidated commitments   (BAU) will be required by 2040 for the
       and initiatives is only roughly half of what   buildings sector to meet its contributions
       is needed to keep global warming below   to a 2°C global warming target. Current
       2C. From IPCC and IEA analyses we know   energy efficiency trends in the buildings
       that energy efficiency must do between   sector are not sufficient to meet this
       half and two thirds of the job of keeping   goal as the BAU building retrofit rate
       us below that level. Here the two big areas   is estimated at only 1.0% of the global
       that require more ambition and action are   building stock per year. Achieving 2°C
       buildings and transport. And the elegant   targets within the buildings sector will
       relationship between the two is that by   require an increase in the retrofit rate to
       increasing building renovation rates we   3.2% per year, suggesting a need for much
       can ‘free up’ the energy that is needed to   more aggressive deployment of highly
       accelerate the electrification of transport!  efficient building technologies, driven   Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public &
                                          in part by mandatory and progressively   Government Affairs, Signify
       The International Energy Agency (IEA)
       predicts that global building electricity   tightening building energy policies.  Harry Verhaar has over 20 years of
       demand will grow 69% by 2040. If left   The momentum behind the EV revolution   experience in the lighting industry and
       unchecked, this will require electricity   has been gathering over the past year, with   is Head of Global Public & Government
       infrastructure investment of $2.5 trillion   countries like Canada, China, France and   Affairs for Signify. He is responsible for
       by 2040 in the United States alone   Japan committing to increase their use of   the strategy, outreach and stakeholder
       to accommodate increasing demand   EVs, and companies like Volkswagen, Volvo   management on energy &
       (although recent trends suggest this load   and Ford setting targets to significantly   climate change, resource efficiency and
       growth might not fully materialize, the   increase production of EVs within the next   sustainable development, with a key focus
       associated infrastructure expense is often   five to ten years. This growth in EV use   on the role of the LED lighting revolution.
       already planned).                  offers tremendous climate benefits (as


                                                          10
   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17