Beyond Just Light Bulbs: The Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Housing Sector in Mexico City

Climate change is a serious global challenge that urgently demands comprehensive mitigation policies, including in the housing sector. However, GHG emissions assessment in the housing sector is particularly challenging because urban planning factors such as location of jobs and public transportation influence GHG emissions. Therefore, for mitigation strategies in the housing sector to be effective, they must be based on a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of GHG emissions associated with housing development and use.
In Mexico, the Federal Government has implemented strategies for mitigating GHG emissions through the promotion of energy efficient technologies such as electricity-efficient light bulbs and solar water heaters. However, these strategies do not address GHG emissions stemming from the rapid growth of housing developments on the urban periphery. Recently, federal government-financed dwelling units have been developed on a massive scale in the urban fringe, without sufficient attention to public transportation and job creation.
In order to assess the impact of location and transportation on GHG emissions in the housing sector in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to assess GHG emissions related to both construction and use of dwelling units. It was found that the use of gasoline for private transport is the principal contributor to GHG emissions, followed by the use of electricity and gas, respectively. These LCA findings suggest that the most effective mitigation strategy in the housing sector may be the promotion of resource-efficient dwelling units in urban locations. This calls into question the federal government’s focus on technologies to mitigate GHG emissions instead of encouraging housing policies that support government financing of dwelling units on central locations that offer employment, services, and public transportation.