Consuming 32 percent of the world’s energy, building and construction is responsible for 34 percent of global carbon emissions. A new report published by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) is calling on the sector to rapidly cut emissions from buildings and construction in their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The report, titled Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025 – Not just another brick in the wall, said because the sector depends on materials like steel and cement, which contribute to construction waste, it highlights the need for greater ambition in six areas, including renewable energy, building financing and energy codes.
“Reviewing the decade since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the report finds 2023 was the first year when continued growth of building construction was decoupled from associated sector greenhouse gas emissions, which have previously plateaued,” UNEP said in the press release. “By adopting mandatory building energy codes aligned with net-zero emissions, mandatory performance standards and seizing energy efficiency investments, the sector’s energy intensity has reduced by almost 10 percent while the renewable energy share in final energy demand has increased by nearly 5 percent.”
In order to reduce overall emissions and enhance waste management, the report said the sector needs to “make use of low-carbon building materials a priority, along with measures like circular construction practices, retrofitting existing buildings so that they are energy efficient and green leases can lower energy consumption,” EcoWatch reported.
“The buildings where we work, shop and live account for a third of global emissions and a third of global waste,” Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, said. “The good news is that government actions are working. But we must do more and do it faster.”
Many countries have already started decarbonizing their buildings, but slow financing and progress is putting climate goals at risk, according to UNEP. Therefore, the report is urging the sector to prioritize the use of low-carbon building materials, adopt circular construction practices, retrofit existing buildings to become energy efficient, lower energy consumption, reduce emissions and encourage waste management.
“[A]ll governments, financial institutions and businesses need to work together to double global building energy efficiency investment from $270 billion to $522 billion by 2030,” the press release said. “Adoption of Extended Producer Responsibility measures, and circular economy practices—including longer building lifespans, better material efficiency and reuse, recycling, passive design, and waste management—are key to help bridge gaps in financing, while workforce development programs are essential to fill skill gaps in the sector.”
The report is holding the nations that have the highest emissions to adopt zero-carbon energy codes for buildings by 2028 and the rest of the nations to follow suit by 2035.
“I encourage all countries to include plans to rapidly cut emissions from buildings and construction in their new [Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)],” Inger said.
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