However, their continued use would result in irreparable damages to the earth’s environment. Technologies of recent times might be able to reduce these impacts to some extent, but not totally. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary that we understand the effects of fossil fuels on our planet. Given below are some of them:

1. Rise in global warming

The continued use of fossil fuels will increase the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This will result in a rise in the levels of heat and temperature on the earth’s surface. It happens due to the trapping of heat obtained from sunlight by carbon dioxide. This prevents the heat from dissipating out of the atmosphere. It is also known as the greenhouse effect. 

Since fossil fuels comprise hydrogen and carbon, the burning of fossil fuels releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide. With a rise in its quantity in the air, the amount of heat trapped by the gas also increases. This results in an overall rise in the earth’s temperature, which is popularly known as global warming.

2. Acid rains

Certain harmful compounds like nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide is released by the burning of fossil fuels. These dangerous compounds rise high into the atmosphere and react with oxygen, water, and other chemicals. This leads to the formation of acidic air pollutants. 

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can easily dissolve in water vapors. They are then carried quite far by the wind and come down to the earth as acid rains. There are many ways through which sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere. Some of them include emissions from cars, trucks, and buses.

3. Pollution of water through oil spills

Global transportation of petroleum or crude oil is done mainly through the oceans using ships. Tankers are used in this process to carry such materials. Any leakage in these tankers can cause the oil to spill into the oceans. 

This can cause some serious problems for the marine life flourishing in them. Many species of marine beings would be threatened by such oil spills. Besides threatening the existence of marine life, the oil spills can also cause water pollution. The extent of water pollution would depend upon the quantity of oil spills.

4. Threat to human health

There are many industries operating in different corners of the globe that need energy for production. The source of this energy is mainly the fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, oil, and gasoline. Such industries, therefore, contribute to the air pollution to a great extent. 

Harmful pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, lead, mercury, and sulfur dioxide are released into the atmosphere. Coal and petroleum are responsible for the release of unburnt particles into the environment. This can lead to some serious health problems in humans, such as lung damage and respiratory diseases. 

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In order to make this happen, the buildings are constructed with eco-friendly materials to begin with. Secondly, the design and daily operations of the building are inclined towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Today’s green buildings incorporate amazing combinations of beauty, efficient function, and sustainability. Now, let’s take a look at some of the world’s best energy efficient buildings:

1. Powerhouse Kjorbo (Norway)

Located in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, this building received the Norwegian Technology Award in 2014. Powerhouse Kjorbo comprises two buildings that underwent renovation and reconstruction using recycled materials. The aim was to make the building sustainable. As a result, the overall energy consumption in the newly-constructed building was reduced by an astonishing 90%. 

This was an indication of the massive success that this project achieved. Ground wells of this building are used to heat the radiators. They also serve as a source of water supply. The unique exterior of this building is made of charred wood. It makes the building eco-friendly and easier to maintain. 

2. The Edge (Netherlands)

This building has received the highest score ever recorded in the BREEAM certification system. It is also the world’s first building to use LED lights that are powered by Philips Ethernet. Located in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, this building is energy-neutral. 

It uses a vast array of solar panels placed on its rooftop. Workers in the building can regulate the lighting and climate in their individual workspaces. This is done by using an app, which is installed on their smartphones.

3. Empire State Building (USA)

Sustainability wouldn’t even occur in your mind when you look at this building. This world-famous skyscraper located in New York City in the United States earned the LEED Gold Certification in 2011. It was the result of $550 million, which was poured in for renovating the building and making it greener. 

The revamped structure reduced the cost of energy consumption of this building by over $4 million every year. Within the next few years, the building is expected to reduce its carbon footprint by a minimum of 105,000 tons. Among the most daunting tasks in making this skyscraper more energy-efficient was replacing its 6,514 glass windows.

4. One Angel Square (United Kingdom)

It was rated as outstanding by the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). This building is located in the city of Manchester in the United Kingdom. It has 15 stories and is the headquarters of The Co-operative Group. The building has a heat recovery system, which helps in increasing its energy efficiency. 

The greywater and rainwater recycling systems serve the same purpose. It has set up IT systems and low-energy LED lights besides a combined heat and power plant. These set-ups inside the building provide practical cost-saving benefits.  

5. Manitoba Hydro Place (Canada)

Having received the Platinum Certification from LEED, this is one of the world’s most energy efficient buildings. It is located in the Canadian province of Manitoba. This office tower saves more than 70% additional energy than the other commercial buildings. 

Much of this can be attributed to its incredible design. A solar chimney, which has a height of 115 meters, provides the building with passive ventilation. Its double-skin facade has motorized vents controlled by computers, which makes regulating temperatures a breeze.

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In 2019, the world made heavy investments in increasing onshore and offshore wind energy capacity. This was followed by investment in solar energy. One can attribute this to falling costs and developments in technology that have happened over the years. Listed below are the top five countries that are investing in future energy solutions:

1. China

It came as a surprise to many that China could be a leader in renewable energy. The country had led the world in increasing renewable energy capacity in 2019. In 2020, it slipped back on the investments made in future energy solutions. More than half of the total funding on renewable energy by the nation was on wind power. 

The next attractive future energy was solar energy, which was allocated more than $29 billion. The technologies that are used to develop smart energies didn’t get the required funding as expected. Investments made in hydro-electricity, biomass energy, low-carbon alternatives, and biofuels increased considerably.

2. United States

The United States of America had the second-highest amount of investments made in future energy solutions. The investments made in renewable energy by this country has been increasing every year. America reached the second-highest position in installed wind energy capacity. This was despite the fact that the country saw reduced financing with regards to wind energy. 

It was more than $1 billion in 2018, but came down to $600 million in 2019. There was a decrease in the financing when it came to energy-smart technologies. Investments in biomass, low-carbon services, geothermal energy, and biofuels reached $3.6 billion in 2019.

3. India

India saw a slight decrease in investments made for developing clean energy solutions. They came down to $11.4 billion in 2019 from $11.7 billion in 2019. It happened despite the efforts made by the country to ramp up its share of renewable energies. The investments in solar energy increased in 2019, from $6.9 million in 2018 to $8.1 billion in 2019. 

Investments in wind energy took a big hit in 2019. They decreased to $2.5 billion compared to $4.2 billion in 2018. However, the funding on energy-smart technologies, biomass energy, and biofuels increased to $800 million from $600 million in 2018.

4. United Kingdom

Funding on renewable energy in the country experienced a decrease in 2019. It was down to $9.5 billion from $11.3 billion during 2018. There was a drop in the funding of wind energy in 2019. Despite this decrease, wind energy remained the most popular source of clean energy for investors. The investments made on solar power increased from $200 million in 2018 to $600 million in 2019.

There was a slight increase in funding for the development of energy-smart technologies. Investments made on biomass energy, geothermal energy, and biofuels dropped from $2.5 billion in 2018 to $1.7 billion in 2019.

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