Purpose

This paper investigates the impact of CO2 vs CO2 “equivalents” (CO2e) by analyzing fugitive emissions, with a particular focus on Fluorinated gases (F-gases), arising from refrigerant leakages in buildings. F-gases are an especially powerful set of GHGs with a global warming potential hundreds to thousands of times greater than that of CO2.

Design/methodology/approach

The significant impact of CO2e is tested by means of an empirical study with current consumption data from German food retail warehouses. This evaluation involves the analysis of the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor's country- and property-type specific pathway, coupled with a paired samples t-test to examine the hypotheses. The assessment is undertaken by evaluating the type of gas and the amount of leakage reported in the baseline year, subsequently converting these values to CO2e units.

Findings

On average, F-gases account for 40% of total building emissions and nearly 45% of cumulative emissions until 2050. In light of ongoing climate change and the rising number of Cooling Degree Days (CDDs), it becomes imperative to assess both the environmental and economic impact of F-gases and to transition toward environmentally friendly refrigerants.

Originality/value

The analysis sheds light on the seldom-addressed threats posed by CO2e emissions stemming from refrigerant losses. By identifying these threats, investors can devise strategies to mitigate potential future costs and carbon risks.

中文翻译：

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零售房地产制冷剂损失被低估的全球变暖潜力：CO2 与 CO2e 的影响

目的

本文通过分析无组织排放，研究了二氧化碳与二氧化碳“当量”(CO2e) 的影响，特别关注建筑物制冷剂泄漏产生的氟化气体（F 气体）。含氟气体是一组特别强大的温室气体，其全球变暖潜力比二氧化碳大数百至数千倍。

设计/方法论/途径

CO2e 的显着影响通过对德国食品零售仓库当前消费数据的实证研究进行了测试。该评估涉及对碳风险房地产监测器的国家和财产类型特定路径的分析，以及用于检验假设的配对样本t检验。该评估是通过评估基准年报告的气体类型和泄漏量，随后将这些值转换为二氧化碳当量单位来进行的。

发现

平均而言，含氟气体占建筑总排放量的 40%，到 2050 年占累计排放量的近 45%。鉴于持续的气候变化和冷却度日数 (CDD) 的不断增加，必须评估环境含氟气体的经济影响以及向环保型制冷剂过渡。

原创性/价值

该分析揭示了制冷剂损失引起的二氧化碳排放所带来的很少被解决的威胁。通过识别这些威胁，投资者可以制定策略来减轻未来潜在的成本和碳风险。