Can we save GHG emissions by working from home?

Santos, Georgina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8446-8297 and Azhari, Rayan 2022. Can we save GHG emissions by working from home? Environmental Research Communications 4 , 035007. 10.1088/2515-7620/ac3d3e

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Abstract

Using data from official government publications in the UK, we estimate the potential changes in transport and buildings CO2e emissions in England and Wales if those engaged in jobs compatible with homeworking were to work mainly from home. We find that the net result is likely to be an increase, rather than a decrease in CO2e emissions. Assuming that 20% to 30% of workers were to work from home, the increase would range from 0.18% to 0.97% relative to emissions from the buildings and transport sectors combined, and from 0.11% to 0.60% relative to emissions from all sources. Under the very unrealistic assumptions that the buildings where the new teleworkers used to work close permanently rather than remain open or be repurposed, and there is no rebound travel, there are modest emissions savings, which range from 0.61% to 1.63% of CO2e emissions from the transport and building sectors combined, and from 0.38% to 1.01% of CO2e emissions from all sources when 20% to 30% of workers work from home.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Publisher:	IOP Publishing
ISSN:	2515-7620
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	1 December 2021
Date of Acceptance:	25 November 2021
Last Modified:	16 Nov 2024 00:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/145836

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