Page 12 - Respond 2019 Magazine

/ 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