Skynomics Blog posts about CO2 and climate change.
The Skyline versus the Sprawl-line: CO2 Emissions and Building Types in New York City
Jason M. Barr September 16, 2020
Skyscrapers get a bum rap for producing a lot of greenhouse gases. By which is worse for the environment, tall residential buildings in the city center or large one-family homes in the suburbs? This post shows that building height is not as important as household spending and driving behavior. When it comes to climate change, the sprawl-line is arguably worse than the skyline. Read More »
Mining the Wind? The Economics of Wind Turbines on Skyscrapers
Jason M. Barr December 19, 2019
Skyscrapers are surrounded by fierce winds. This blog post discusses the economics of embedding wind turbines into skyscrapers, and some recent case studies. Read More »
Building Height and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The Case of New York City
Jason M. Barr May 31, 2018
What is the effect of building height and size on greenhouse gas emissions? Analyzing data provided by New York City, this blog post discusses how tall buildings impact CO2 production. Are skyscrapers better for the environment? Read More »
Cities and CO2: What Can be Done?
Jason M. Barr April 10, 2018
Carbon Dioxide is the mother of all externalities. Most of us give little thought that every day we produce an odorless, invisible gas which is destabilizing the Earth’s climate. This blog post offers a politically feasible way for homeowners to begin paying for their carbon emissions based on how much they emit at home. Read More »