What is Colombia's pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C?
Buildings
Decarbonising the buildings sector
Emissions from the buildings sector accounted for roughly 5% of Colombia’s total emissions in 2024. The sector’s electrification starting point is quite high, with electricity accounting for more than half of the sector’s energy demand in 2023. Fossil fuels (mainly oil and gas) accounted for roughly a quarter of the sector’s total energy demand, with biomass also covering almost a quarter of demand.
Colombia's energy mix in the buildings sector
petajoule per year
Fuel shares refer only to energy demand of the sector.
-
Graph description
Energy mix composition in the buildings sector in consumption (EJ) and shares (%) for the years 2030, 2035, 2040 through 2070 based on the HPA scenario.
Methodology
Data References
-
In the Highest Possible Ambition (HPA) scenario, electrification ramps up to reach more than 77% by 2030, further climbing to above 90% by 2035. Electricity pushes both fossil fuels and biomass out of the building sector, increasing the sector’s efficiency substantially. By 2040, Colombia could effectively phase out fossil fuels from buildings’ energy mix, relying mostly on electricity which would cover 92% of the demand.
Ambitious standards for the energy performance of buildings and appliances could provide further efficiency gains.
Colombia has adopted the Technical Regulations for Labelling End-Use Electrical and Fuel Gas Equipment (RETIQ), which is the technical regulation that mandates energy efficiency labels for manufacturers and importers for products sold in Colombia.1,2 Critically, the rate of air conditioner ownership is projected to more than quadruple by mid-century, due to an increase of daily maximum air temperatures and the persistence of warm nighttime conditions.3,4 The country incentivises high efficiency air conditioners through tax breaks in an effort to reduce electricity demand and bills and to lower the pressure on grids.
Colombia's buildings sector direct CO₂ emissions
MtCO₂/yr
Direct CO₂ emissions only are considered (see power sector for electricity related emissions, hydrogen and heat emissions are not considered here).
-
Graph description
Direct CO₂ emissions of the buildings sector in the HPA scenario.
Methodology
Data References
-
1.5°C compatible buildings sector benchmarks
Direct CO₂ emissions and shares of electricity, heat and biomass in the buildings final energy demand from illustrative 1.5°C pathways for Colombia
| Indicator |
2023
|
2030
|
2035
|
2040
|
2050
|
2060
|
2070
|
Buildings sector decarbonised by
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct CO₂ emissions
MtCO₂/yr
|
6
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2038
|
|
Relative to reference year in %
|
-17%
|
-50%
|
-83%
|
-100%
|
-100%
|
-100%
|
| Indicator |
2023
|
2030
|
2035
|
2040
|
2050
|
2060
|
2070
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Share of electricity
%
|
50
|
59
|
80
|
92
|
97
|
93
|
94
|
|
Share of heat
%
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
5
|
5
|
|
Share of hydrogen
%
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
All values are rounded. Direct CO₂ emissions only are considered (see power sector analysis, hydrogen and heat emissions are not considered here). All values are rounded. The year of full decarbonisation is based on a carbon intensity threshold of 5gCO₂/MJ.
-
Methodology
Data References
-