Reducing CO2 emissions from buildings & construction

The building and construction sectors are notorious for being heavy emitters of CO2 and heavy consumers of resources. Roland Hunziker, Co-chair of the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, shared insights on how the industry can collectively work towards reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption. Despite an increase in energy efficiency investment, the sector's energy consumption and CO2 emissions have rebounded to an all-time high post-COVID-19 pandemic. Hunziker emphasized the need to view the built environment as a system rather than isolated parts. The global alliance has set a common vision to halve emissions by 2030. This ambitious goal requires collaboration from material providers, construction companies, designers, developers, investors, cities, and national governments. Key actions discussed at COP27 included governments convening under the 'building's breakthrough' initiative to set political statements for near-zero emission and resilient buildings by 2030. Moreover, a shift in the valuation of buildings in some markets is providing early signals for the need to decarbonize buildings. While progress has been seen in leadership from countries like Denmark and cities such as London and New York, Hunziker acknowledged the need for a groundswell effect to make these initiatives more widespread. He also addressed concerns about cost-effectiveness and affordability, highlighting the importance of implementing taxes on CO2 to drive responsible decision-making without necessarily increasing costs. Hunziker stressed the necessity of building millions of homes in developing regions with a holistic vision that balances resilience, equity, and cost-effectiveness through collaboration between cities, developers, and the value chain. The biggest challenge lies in translating the vision into collective action. Ultimately, the alliance aims to steer the industry towards a sustainable future by aligning stakeholders and driving impactful change.