Resources

Climate change, new ways of working, new business models and the digital revolution are among the main challenges the real estate industry is confronted to. Innovation is key to face them and invent tomorrow's buildings. This publication aims at analyzing the driving forces of innovation and their consequences on real estate, and at showing innovative solutions developed in France and abroad.

The built environment is responsible for almost 40% of the global energy and process-related CO₂  emissions. To meet the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 1.5°C, we need to reach net-zero emissions across all activities in the building and construction system. The goal is for all new buildings to operate at net-zero emissions by 2030 at the latest, and for all buildings to operate at net zero by 2050.

This report proposes a new framework that can be used as a common language for carbon emissions, by all actors across the built environment. Using a common metric and a full life-cycle approach, the WBCSD Building System Carbon Framework facilitates collaboration across the value chain, where common solutions can be developed and implemented to help achieve system decarbonization.

It is neutral on materials and solutions, bridging embodied and operational carbon, which is a vital prerequisite for reaching net zero in the built environment. The framework also enables each user to identify the best emissions-reduction strategies for their part of the value chain and allows the stakeholders to make informed decisions based on clear and transparent information. 

The building sector is not on track to lower total greenhouse gas emissions. Given that emissions from the sector represent nearly 40% of global energy-and process-related emissions, this represents a serious challenge to keeping global warming to 1.5oC. The Buildings sector must therefore decarbonize.

To support this goal, this report focuses on policy drivers for decarbonisation, and the costs and benefits associated with their implementation. In this report these policies are referred to as building climate actions, and include policies that tackle reducing (1) direct emissions from building energy use which includes (2) indirect emissions from the power sector, (3) and emissions from energy used in the building materials and construction supply chain (embodied emissions). All three aspects of the carbon footprint of buildings need to be addressed by policy-makers and practitioners in cost effective ways. Although gaps in the evidence base make generalisation unreliable, the body of experience over many years indicates that the social and economic co-benefits of taking these actions outweigh the costs of development and implementation. Inaction also increases the cost of climate adaptation, and exacerbates risks to health, security and property that create an imperative for taking urgent actions to decarbonize the buildings sector.

National alliances that bring together the different stakeholders along the buildings and construction value chain are a formidable means of overcoming the fragmentation in the sector, and ramping up both the level of action and ambition towards zero emission, efficient and resilient buildings and construction [...]' - Martina Otto, GlobalABC

This recently launched PEEB report shows how national alliances can help speeding up the energy transition in the building sector. It demonstrates their potential and importance in working for the transition towards low emission, resilient and efficient buildings. The report explores the experiences of five national alliances in France, Germany, Mexico, Morocco and Tunisia, and gives recommendations for establishing new ones. Its core take-aways are: 

• National alliances are key in mobilising real estate actors towards the energy transition and have a great potential for uniting different professions through common goals. They lead to better regulatory frameworks, highly innovative industry products, voluntary commitments and capacity development.
• National alliances are developing around the world. They can be public or private sector driven and range from volunteer-based alliances to formalised structures. Some already have an activity record of more than 10 years, while others have just been created. Some may not even have been identified yet. 
• National alliance success factors are the development of a common vision and goal, simple and engaging organisational structures, and clear joint communication.

This brochure produced by the German Sustainable Building Council details the path from climate neutral buildings to climate positive. It includes case studies of climate positive buildings from Singapore and Germany. Finally, it outlines the elements of a climate action strategy. 

Nationally determined contributions guide