Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024/2025

United Nations 1 year ago

The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR), published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), provides an annual snapshot of the progress of the buildings and construction sector on a global scale. The Buildings-GSR reviews the status of policies, finance, technologies and solutions to monitor whether the sector is aligned with the Paris Agreement goals. The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025 - Not just another brick in the wall highlights progress made on related global climate goals and calls for greater ambition on six challenges, including building energy codes, renewable energy, and financing. Global frameworks and initiatives such as Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate, the Buildings Breakthrough and the Declaration de Chaillot are sustaining momentum towards adopting ambitious climate action plans, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), for net-zero buildings ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil. Despite this progress, the sector remains a key driver of the climate crisis, consuming 32 per cent of global energy and contributing to 34 per cent of global CO2 emissions. The sector is dependent on materials like cement and steel that are responsible for 18% of global emissions and are a major source of construction waste.
→ View Full Article

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 2 hours ago



Pan‑European whole life carbon certification has expanded to logistics assets across ten countries, forcing transparent whole life carbon assessment and comparable lifecycle assessment in a hard‑to‑abate segment. If investors and occupiers adopt it as a procurement gatekeeper, embodied carbon and embodied carbon in materials become price drivers, supported by environmental product declarations (epds), circular economy metrics and building lifecycle performance data.

The UK revival of council housebuilding, with funding for tens of thousands of social and affordable homes, is a once‑in‑a‑generation lever for sustainable construction and puts environmental sustainability in construction at the centre of delivery. Locking in fabric‑first, energy-efficient buildings, low carbon building principles, low carbon construction materials and low embodied carbon materials at brief stage is essential to achieve net zero carbon buildings and net zero whole life carbon. Robust sustainable material specification, eco-design for buildings, sustainable building design and life cycle thinking in construction should be mandated to control life cycle cost and performance risk.

Operational decarbonisation is scaling. A major heritage estate cut fossil fuel use by over a fifth in a year and reduced total emissions by 17%, showing heat decarbonisation, controls and plant optimisation can deliver rapid carbon footprint reduction on complex sites and underpin carbon neutral construction goals. A leading facilities manager now claims market‑based net zero carbon for its own operations, a useful signal while on‑site abatement and resource efficiency in construction increase.

A new NHS community health centre designed around sustainability shows public clients reshaping briefs toward verified performance, resilience by design and lower whole life carbon impact. Specifications point to sustainable building practices, green construction and eco-friendly construction with green building materials, green building products and renewable building materials, evidenced through whole life carbon assessment and ongoing building lifecycle performance monitoring, aligned with standards such as breeam and breeam v7, and supporting low-impact construction and sustainable architecture.

Climate risk is present, with transport systems strained by wildfires and researchers advancing AI for predictive maintenance to pre‑empt infrastructure failures. Designers are being tasked to prioritise multiple safe egress, climate‑aware siting, green infrastructure and sustainable design that measurably lowers the environmental impact of construction and the carbon footprint of construction. Teams able to verify outcomes across lifecycle assessment, low carbon design, sustainable urban development and decarbonising the built environment will secure the next wave of work.

Show More

camera_altFeatured Instagram Posts:

Get your opinion heard:

Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do get in touch.

Let's chat!
Avatar

WLC Assistant

Ask me about sustainability

Hi! I'm your Whole Life Carbon assistant. I can help you learn about sustainability, carbon assessment, and navigate our resources. How can I help you today?