Social and economic analysis of integrated building transportation energy system

Abstract

The increasing greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions constitute one of the most significant global environmental issues. CO2 emissions from buildings and transportation are responsible for the largest proportion of total global carbon emissions from various sectors. Therefore it is necessary to utilize clean energy sources (e.g., renewable energy, energy storage systems, and electric vehicles) to decarbonize the building and transportation sectors. The integrated building transportation energy system (IBTES) is a system that combines the energy demands of buildings and transportation in an integrated manner. However, this integrated system has many issues in its practical applications, especially considering the social and economic aspects. A social and economic analysis of IBTES will consider the impacts on various stakeholders, including building owners and users, transportation users, energy suppliers, etc. This study will systematically summarize the current application and development status of IBTES from both social and economic perspectives. In terms of the social perspective, IBTES can improve energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, which will have a positive impact on the environment and public health. From an economic perspective, IBTES has the potential to decrease the energy costs of buildings and transportation users. In addition, it has the potential to create new jobs in the energy and transportation sectors, and potentially attract new businesses and investments to a region. This study also summarizes several issues and challenges of IBTES, including the cost of implementing and maintaining the system, social acceptance, and inadequate related regulations. Based on this, the study proposes recommendations to effectively promote the implementation of IBTES. This study can provide some theoretical guidelines and suggestions for policymakers.