Tuesday 14 October 2025
A global coalition of governments, industry leaders, and experts has taken a major step toward making sustainable buildings the new normal by 2030.
The Buildings Breakthrough (BB), launched at COP28 and co-led by France and Morocco and facilitated by UNEP’s Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), has released its interim report introducing a qualitative definition of a Near–Zero Emission and Resilient Building (NZERB), along the key ‘building blocks’ or principles required to achieve it.
This milestone represents the first global consensus on what NZERBs mean in practice. It reflects months of collaboration across ministries, technical representatives, green building councils, and private sector organisations, creating a shared foundation to guide action in countries worldwide.
Buildings are at the heart of the climate crisis, responsible for 34% of global CO2 emissions. Without clear standards, countries risk moving in different directions, slowing progress. This interim report sets out common ground: a flexible yet ambitious definition that can be used by any government, no matter their context, to accelerate policy, guide investment, and unlock innovation.
By agreeing on shared principles, countries can compare progress, hold political dialogue at the highest level, and ensure that resilient, low-emission buildings become achievable, affordable and accessible everywhere.
The work was facilitated by the lead partner World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), in collaboration with BB front-runner countries and supporting partners, including GlobalABC Hubs/Action Groups (1).
The process began with a review of more than 40 existing international and regional frameworks defining or guiding the development of NZERB. Common principles were identified and classified through workshops, consultations, and open feedback sessions. Public consultations in late 2024 and early 2025 brought in views from governments and experts worldwide, ensuring that the final definition reflects a balance of ambition and practicality.
Cristina Gamboa, CEO, World Green Building Council:
“The Buildings Breakthrough interim report is a milestone for global climate action. The World Green Building Council is proud to have co-led Priority Action B1 — working closely with the GlobalABC, governments, and an extraordinary coalition of partners.
“Together, we have defined a shared vision for Near-Zero Emission and Resilient Buildings and set the principles to make them the new normal by 2030. We celebrate this collective achievement and congratulate GlobalABC on their leadership. Our global network across 85+ countries stands ready to turn this ambition into action and #BeBoldOnBuildings.”
The interim report introduces:
A qualitative definition of NZERBs designed to work across diverse national contexts and jurisdictions across high-, middle- and low-income economies.
Key “building blocks” suggesting essential principles—from reducing emissions in existing building stock and new construction, to embedding whole-life cycle measures in policies and ensuring resilience to climate risks
The next steps are to identify indicators and measurement frameworks and deliver policy recommendations to governments.
For the first time, governments, industry, and experts have a shared language for the kind of buildings we need. By 2030, with the achievement of the Buildings Breakthrough goal, near-zero emission and resilient buildings will no longer be the exception, they will be the norm.
The Buildings Breakthrough provides a platform for political dialogue and cooperation on strengthening international collaboration to decarbonise the building sector, enhance resilience and make clean technologies and sustainable solutions the most affordable, accessible and attractive option in all regions by 2030. To date, 29 member countries, endorsed the BB goal statement: “Near-zero emission and resilient buildings are the new normal by 2030”.