By Gift Briton
Accounting for one-third of global energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, buildings are both part of the problem and the solution in the fight against climate change.
Yet, the latest Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025 suggests that while progress has been made in decarbonizing buildings, the pace remains too slow to meet international climate goals.
“Buildings where we work, shop, and live account for a third of global emissions and a third of global waste. The good news is that government actions are working. But we must do more and do it faster,” said Inger Andersen, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) ‘s Executive Director.
As highlighted in the Report, governments worldwide are beginning to take action, adopting building energy codes, increasing investments in energy efficiency, and integrating renewable energy sources.
However, financing remains a major impediment. Without significant investment, the authors warn that efforts to decarbonize buildings will fall short, putting global climate targets at risk. If construction continues as usual, emissions from this sector will keep rising, worsening climate disasters and straining natural resources.
For the first time in nearly a decade, growth in construction has been decoupled from rising emissions. This means that despite more buildings being built, emissions from the sector did not increase at the same rate. The report credits mandatory building energy codes, improved energy efficiency, and increased use of renewable energy for this shift.
Since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, energy intensity in buildings has decreased by almost 10%, while the share of renewable energy in the sector’s final energy demand has increased by nearly 5%.
Contrastingly, over 50% of newly constructed floorspace in emerging and developing economies still does not comply with modern energy-efficient building codes. Investments in technologies like heat pumps-critical for reducing building emissions have also declined.
According to the Report, with nearly half of the buildings that will exist in 2050 yet to be built, the opportunity to create a sustainable future is vast, but time is running out.
It stresses that global investment in building energy efficiency must nearly double from the current $270 billion to $522 billion by 2030. Interventions such as innovative financing solutions, circular economy practices, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) measures can fill the gap and drive sustainable practices.
