The buildings and construction sector sits at the centre of the climate challenge and the sustainable development agenda. As the world continues to urbanise and global floor area rapidly expands, the sector faces mounting pressure from rising energy demand, material consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, it holds immense potential to deliver healthier, safer, more equitable and climate-resilient communities.

This session will explore the latest global trends shaping the buildings and construction sector and focus on the critical role of buildings in the climate transition, emphasising the need to address housing affordability and decarbonisation together to ensure a socially just transformation. Despite improvements in energy efficiency, increased deployment of renewable energy, and growing uptake of green building certifications, operational emissions from buildings continue to rise, while embodied emissions from materials such as cement, steel and aluminium remain persistently high.
 

Special attention will be given to rapidly growing regions and emerging economies, where today’s planning and investment decisions will determine future emissions trajectories and resilience outcomes.