False economy What’s in it for me? Understand what makes the

Cities need to improve their building 
standards, infrastructure and power supply 
to save energy.
Smog, traffic congestion and a lack of greenery 
can make cities seem like the antithesis to living 
at one with nature. But the density of urban 
centers could actually allow them to become 
frontline innovators of climate-friendly solutions 
for water, energy and lighting.
The first step to making a city more climate-
friendly is making its buildings more energy-
efficient. There are many ways to reduce energy 
use in buildings. Wall and ceiling insulation 
made from fiberglass or even old newspapers 
can prevent heat loss in winter and overheating 
in summer, reducing the need for heating and air 
conditioning. Greening roofs with plants keeps 
buildings cool while sequestering carbon. 
“Smart” electrochromic glass changes its color 
according to the time of the day, saving on 
heating and lighting. Not only do these 
technologies cut electricity costs, but their 
widespread adoption will have a net positive 
effect on the environment. For instance, if 
energy-friendly LED light bulbs became 
ubiquitous in buildings worldwide by 2050, we 

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would save a total of 12.8 gigatons in carbon 
emissions.
But how can we implement these technologies in 
our urban environments? One way is for cities to 
start making them mandatory for new buildings. 
Older buildings can also be made much more 
energy-efficient. Take the Empire State Building: 
by adding an extra layer of insulation to its 6541 
windows, its energy use was cut by 40 percent.
Another way cities can improve their carbon 
footprint is by developing infrastructure that 
supports 
climate-friendly 
methods 
of 
transportation, such as public transport, walking 
and biking. If more cities were to improve bike 
lanes and create “walkable” neighborhoods 
where homes, shops, cafes and parks 
intermingle, car use would fall, and residents 
would be healthier and happier. In the 
Netherlands, one of the most bike-friendly 
countries in the world, 27 percent of local trips 
are made by bike. Globally, if this statistic could 
rise to just 7.5 percent by 2050, carbon 
emissions could be reduced by 2.31 gigatons.
Not only can cities improve the flow of citizens, 
but they can also improve the flow of electricity, 
water and heating to those citizens. Improving 
distribution through localized grids can prevent 
energy losses and overproduction. Copenhagen, 
for example, uses a localized heating system, 
fueled with waste heat from nearby power 
plants, to keep its citizens warm in the winter. If 
cities worldwide increased localized heating from 
its current 0.1 percent usage to 10 percent, we 
could avoid 9.38 gigatons of carbon emissions 
by 2050.