Effects of Working from Home on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Associated Energy Costs in Six Australian Cities

Working from home (WFH) has been imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The adoption of WFH impacts energy use in the residential, commercial, and transportation sectors. Consequently, this affects the greenhouse gas emission (GHGE) and the associated energy costs to workers and employers. This study estimates the effects of WFH on the GHGE and energy-related costs in the residential, commercial, and transportation sectors. A simple linear model was used to estimate the changes in the GHGEs and cost by a typical employee when WFH practice is adopted for 1.5 and 4 days per week. The adoption of WFH reduces the operational GHGE accounted for commercial buildings and transport. However, it increases the operational GHGE accounted for residential buildings, which is a maximum of about 6% and 12%, respectively, for WFH 1.5 and 4 days. The reduction of GHGE from transport is significantly higher than that of residential buildings. The GHGE reductions from the transport sector are about 30% and 80%, respectively, for WFH 1.5 days and 4 days per week. WFH for 1.5 and 4 days per week reduces the national annual GHGE by about 1.21 Mt CO2-e and 5.76 Mt CO2-e, respectively. Further, the annual transportation cost of an employee is reduced by 30% and 80% in each city when the employee WFH for 1.5 and 4 days per week. The outcomes of this study offer a direction to reduce energy consumption and related costs and potential future research avenues on this topic. Further, the findings also help policymakers develop a hybrid work model for the post-COVID-19 pandemic.

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