in terms of the challenge building energy consumption accounts for well over half of the metro region s greenhouse gas emissions and imposes comparatively high costs on energy consumers cnt b buildings in the chicago tristate metroregion tend to use far more energy than even comparable buildings in the midwest in part due to their age and lack of insulation while energy efficiency is unlikely to contribute much to emissions reduction if it is not accompanied by a high carbon price it is still a necessary element of any policy to address climate change oecd in terms of the opportunity retrofitting of existing buildings to increase their energyefficiency involves a relatively high demand for low and semiskilled labour and strengthens the local cluster in professional energy services