This World Green Building Week (#WGBW24) 2024, join leaders from around the world sharing the solutions for a sustainable built environment.
The path to sustainability can seem complex, but what counts is that we are all taking steps in the right direction.
We must: REDUCE. ELECTRIFY. ADAPT.
So join us in #BuildingTheTransition to a better future. #WGBW24 is led by our global network of more than 75 Green Building Councils (GBCs) who are ready to walk the road to zero carbon and resilience with you.
See what local #WGBW24 events are happening near you through our interactive map.
Share your solutions for how you are #BuildingTheTransition to more sustainable built environments
The built environment currently consumes 34% of global energy and almost half of all raw materials.
All buildings need energy and materials. They are necessary for heating, cooling and lighting our homes and businesses, as well as running and maintaining them, and building them in the first place.
So how do we build the transition to a more efficient future?
Existing technologies can deliver significant energy and cost savings. But we can all make reductions by minimising what we use.
The benefits are not only financial. Enhanced energy and material efficiency leads to increased security by reducing demand for domestic capacity, lowering dependence on imports, and mitigating price fluctuations.
Buildings account for 37% of global energy-related emissions.
Energy reduction is a key part of a sustainable future and what we can’t decrease, we need to decarbonise. So, how do we build the transition to a zero-carbon future?
We need to eliminate the use of fossil fuels across the building and construction industry.
Currently, electricity only accounts for 35% of buildings’ energy use. We need to shift to using electricity for essential functions where possible, such as heating and cooling, as well as other facilities that utilise gas, oil, and other fossil fuels.
To fully decarbonise, electricity generation needs to shift to low-carbon sources, too. We need to shift to using renewables that provide on-site power from solar or heat pumps or switch to green energy from the power grid.
These types of upgrades are typically more efficient, reduce energy demand, offer cost savings and create healthier homes and outdoor spaces.
Global insurance losses from natural catastrophes now exceed $100 billion annually. Global temperatures and extreme weather events are rising. The past ten consecutive years have been the warmest on record.
No one knows exactly what tomorrow will bring. But we can plan for it. Our buildings need to last and be able to withstand unpredictable climatic events. We need to anticipate the impacts of climate change and adapt our built environments to withstand them.
This involves understanding the current and future conditions, and using appropriate materials and techniques to meet these demands, as well as supporting the development of climate-resilient building projects.
Being future-ready will not only mitigate the financial impacts of our changing times, but it also has the ability to create over 30 million jobs as one of the largest job-creation areas. We just need to make sure that no-one gets left behind in this transition.
How can we Reduce. Electrify. Adapt?
Hear how Green Building Councils, partners and the built environment community around the world are #BuildingTheTransition this #WGBW24. View the full playlist.
The World Green Building Council is committed to the total decarbonisation of our sector. We launched our Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment (the Commitment) in 2018 to promote climate leadership in decarbonising the built environment, and removing barriers to implementation. The Commitment now has over 170 signatories spanning government, cities and industry organisations, all of whom have committed to reducing a total of 7.2 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
The Net Zero Carbon Building Commitment has inspired the creation of new solutions and created a growing community of signatories who are tackling their emissions across the whole life cycle by 2030 by reducing operational emissions, and maximising reduction of embodied carbon across new developments and renovations.
Through co-creation of national roadmaps, WorldGBC and our network have galvanised industry to consider whole life cycle carbon in the building and construction sector in Europe under our #BuildingLife programme. We’ve also seen success in the global south where Colombia, Chile, India and Mexico are expanding adoption and scope of national decarbonisation roadmaps – collaborating with partners and local governments.
WorldGBC is also committed to the regeneration of natural systems and a thriving circular economy.
Currently, the world is only 7.2% circular – meaning that over 90% of materials are either wasted, lost or unavailable for re-use. We started the Circularity Accelerator to advance the adoption of circular strategies and resource efficiency in the building and construction sector. We are also one of six core partners in the Circular Buildings Coalition (CBC) an initiative that aims to accelerate circular economy principles across the European building and construction sector, working in partnership with Arup, Circle Economy, Metabolic, The Ellen Macarthur Foundation and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and supported by the Laudes Foundation.
Electrification of buildings is a vital part of decarbonising the built environment at speed to reach zero carbon emissions. This means replacing technologies or processes that use fossil fuels, such as heating and cooling systems, with electrically-powered equivalents, and ensuring electricity generation is from low-carbon sources such as renewables.
Within Europe the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has seen building decarbonisation brought to the forefront, including the objective of achieving a decarbonised, zero-emission building stock by 2050.
WorldGBC is committed to ensuring our sector achieves the Buildings Breakthrough goal of resilient and near zero emission buildings by 2030, and in July this year we were invited to lead the Buildings Breakthrough Priority Action 1, ‘Standards and Certification’. As part of this role, we will work with GlobalABC, and national GBCs, key international organisations and countries to establish common principles and definitions to support the industry to achieve this goal.
In June this year we added our support to the Global Cooksafe Coalition’s (GCCs) celebration of leaders of electrification around the world. GCC’s work to electrify kitchens is a key action that contributes to wider electrification efforts in the built environment.
Climate change driven extreme weather events and the devastating impacts this has on regions continues to rise year on year. So far in 2024 nearly every month has been the hottest on record, Brazil is currently in the midst of a heatwave, and last month Mexico broke its hottest day record at 125 degrees (over 50C). Extreme floods have been experienced worldwide including in China, Tanzania, Kenya, India, Pakistan, Dubai, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.
Sustainable resilient green buildings are now becoming more affordable and easier to insure, as industry and governments recognise the need for a built environment that can withstand the impacts of climate change.
Adapting our buildings through industry uptake of green building design principles will also create millions of jobs in sustainability, and mitigate the impact of the changing climate, lowering risks to human life and economic losses.
WorldGBC is committed to advancing healthy, equitable and resilient buildings, cities and communities. Alongside our network, we developed the Zero Carbon and Climate Resilience Readiness Framework to provide a first step towards achieving energy efficient and resilient buildings.
We are also dedicated to supporting Green Building Councils, partners, and the building and construction industry to catalyse social and environmental benefits across the built environment value chain. This includes creating guidance on Social Impact across the Built Environment, Sustainable and Affordable Housing, Health and Wellbeing Framework, and Sustainable Recovery and Reconstruction.
