This brochure introduced the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Programme from 2015-2022, One of the six programmes established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) serving as the Secretariat of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP) and its One Planet Network (OPN). SBC was led by the Ministry of the Environment Finland, UNEP and RMIT University from Melbourne, Australia. The target of the programme, as indicated, is to bring attention to the role and importance of circularity in the built environment, and of the Global South to lock-in sustainable and circular approaches in construction. It helped map circularity indicators in the buildings and construction sector against the SDGs.

The legacy of the One Planet Network (OPN) Sustainable Buildings and Construction (SBC) Programme continues as Circular Built Environment (CBE) sub-working group of the Materials Hub of the Global Alliance of Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC). CBE builds on the momentum that the OPN SBC programme set during 2015-2022. The work continues through a partnership between the GlobalABC and the 10YFP/OPN. The GlobalABC advances international co-operation related to sustainable buildings and construction. It is a community of stakeholders from different parts of the world representing the entire buildings and construction value chain. The brochure introduced the focused aread of the CBE, and its main mission.

Buildings are a sleeping giant for climate action. In 2021, buildings accounted for 37% of global energy- and process-related emissions (UNEP, 2022).  At the same time, buildings are particularly vulnerable to extreme climate events such as floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts, soil erosion, or wildfires. Climate-resilient buildings – promoting flexible design, passive cooling, nature-based solutions, local materials, or water conservation – are vital in achieving mitigation and adaptation objectives (Bourgault, Zinecker, & Mitra, 2021).

But climate action on buildings is lagging. Of the USD 5.8 trillion spent in the buildings and construction sector in 2019, only a fraction (2.6%) went towards building energy efficiency. Rising inflation rates have diverted the attention of many governments. In 2022, a modest 2% increase was estimated for investment in energy efficiency in buildings (UNEP, 2022).

To date, 194 countries have submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat. This report analysed these submissions, looking for buildings-related measures, and classified each of these measures along three categories: (1) Mitigation; (2) Adaptation; and (3) Cross-cutting measures. For each of these, this report created subcategories such as energy efficiency in design, building structure, or financing.

Going forward, this study finds out that an analysis and benchmarking of the NDCs on specific topics may help introduce an even more effective next generation of NDCs on buildings. At the same time, there is a need to quantify targets, and back them up with financing. The sheet of NDCs used for this analysis is available for further research and policy work.

Please read the full report here.

Revalu is a material data platform that enables to assess the impact across the design phase. It provides access to Europe’s largest EPD library and integrates 3rd party-verified data into existing workflows. It also offers climate insights, material innovation hub, and efficient documentation for ESG or LCA reporting. 

In the last 18 months, Revalu engaged with over 380 stakeholders across the industry to understand how they are addressing the current challenges of transitioning towards a more sustainable built environment and identified that the significant portion of the built environment's emissions stems from the choice of materials, with industry standards being notably polluting. Although alternatives exist, their environmental benefits are challenging to assess without clear data.

Furthermore, material data and sustainability resources are not uniformly available to everyone. Larger architectural firms can allocate resources to time-consuming explorations and collaborate with sustainability experts, whereas smaller firms and solo architects struggle to keep pace, resulting in a widening knowledge gap that hinders collective movement towards more conscious practices. 

Thus this material data platform is designed to empower all architects, regardless of firm size, with reliable data right at the design stage — where impactful decisions are made. 

Please try it out here.

In the quest to establish and enforce Passive House building codes that align with sustainability and energy efficiency goals, a comprehensive guide has been developed by The Passive Housing Network to shed light on the best practices in the implementation process. This report presents a roadmap for achieving the desired codes, emphasizing the critical need for market confidence, professional competence, and a robust supply chain to support their successful integration.

The findings of this research reveal a structured, four-step approach that, when executed in the proper sequence, can consistently bring Passive House building standards into practice:

• Alternate Pathways: Eliminate the hindrances created by the necessity of developing two distinct energy models. Advocate for the approval of Passive House models as an alternative compliance pathway.
• Passive House Incentives: Institute incentives aimed at bolstering industry capacity, expanding product supply chains, and reinforcing market confidence in Passive House construction.
• Add PH Reach & Stretch Codes: Introduce OPTIONAL reach or stretch codes for local jurisdictions, offering them the flexibility to adopt and implement these codes.
• Transform Baseline Codes: Once a substantial foundation of market confidence, professional competence, and a robust product supply chain is firmly established, revise the baseline codes to deliver desired Passive House outcomes.

It's worth noting that this process, from inception to completion, was successfully executed in Brussels within a span of just seven years. Additionally, Scotland is on the verge of accomplishing a similar feat. Massachusetts is following suit, with a strategic plan mirroring this trajectory. In cases where energy codes are locally governed, cities such as Denver find themselves in a favorable position to implement these steps ahead of state and national codes.

For more in-depth insights, practical examples, and a thorough breakdown of these four essential steps, we encourage you to delve into the full report. It offers a comprehensive guide for those committed to advancing Passive House building codes and fostering a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.

Please read the full briefing here.

Built by Nature strategic partners Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance have collaborated with One Click LCA to provide relevant and practical on-line training as a comprehensive introduction to life cycle assessment, embodied carbon, biobased materials and circularity in construction.

This is a free and open resource designed for City Officers, and is an important component of the project "Dramatically Reducing Embodied Carbon in Europe's Built Environment", funded by Laudes Foundation and Built by Nature. One Click LCA is the first and best easy and automated life cycle assessment software that helps you calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of your building & infra projects, products and portfolio. Our software helps designers, builders, manufacturers and investors to identify the most effective ways to decarbonise their construction projects, products and portfolios. It is used in more than 100 countries, includes the world’s largest construction sector database, integrates with over a dozen design tools and supports over 50 standards and certifications.

This programme will delve into the key topics, findings, and actionable suggestions that will empower city practitioners to drive carbon reduction initiatives. Enroll now to access videos, learning sessions, and receive a certificate of completion -- with coursework and materials available in English, French and Spanish. 

Please visit the academy webisite here.

Construction value chains, encompassing the construction and operation of buildings as well as the production of construction materials like cement and steel, contribute to approximately 40 percent of global CO2 emissions. This figure is expected to rise as developing economies, responsible for about two-thirds of these emissions, intensify construction activities for urbanization and development.

IFC is launching this report to guide international efforts to decarbonize construction value chains. Building Green: Sustainable Construction in Emerging Markets was prepared through close collaboration between IFC economists, investment officers, and building and construction sector specialists. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges of reducing carbon emissions from construction value chains in developing countries, but also the considerable opportunities that will come from mobilizing the estimated $1.5 trillion of investment required for this transition.

Read the full report here.

In collaboration with UN Environment Programme, One Planet network - 10YFP, UNDP, and UN Climate Change, a Digital Toolbox for Building Circularity into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) has just been launched at the Middle East & North Africa Climate Week.

This “Building Circularity into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - A Practical Toolbox” aims to support countries both in the global north and global south to identify, prioritize, implement and track circular economy interventions for increased ambition and implementation of their NDCs.

The toolbox aims to provide policymakers with a methodology, resources, and tools to help: 

1. Assess and identify GHG emissions hotspots from material use to prioritize sectors and/or sub-sectors in the NDC for circular economy interventions for increased climate ambition;
2. Assess and select circular economy interventions in prioritized sectors/sub-sectors for the NDC; 
3. Identify policy instruments and indicators for the implementation of selected circular economy interventions in the NDC; and
4. Track and report progress in the national Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) under the Paris Agreement.  

The toolbox is organized in four stages to leverage a country’s policy cycle. Each stage includes a set of steps and key questions to consider as well as tools and case studies. An overview of the stages and steps is below. 

Please read the full report here.

Bauhaus Earth is collaborating with the Toni Piëch Foundation to develop the multi-series knowledge collection 'Building for the Future'. Developed as a modular system, the collection will provide visually appealing and easily digestible information to introduce people to the idea of a regenerative built environment. It will provide an overview of key developments, concepts, and options for action. The first series, 'Setting the Frame', highlights critical facts and figures about the built environment as a major contributor to the climate crisis. It also highlights the vision of a regenerative built environment and presents practical ideas and approaches. The second series will focus specifically on the scale of regenerative buildings, highlighting the use of bio-based materials and how to extend the life cycle of building materials and components, as well as the importance of sufficiency strategies.

The first Series "Setting the Frame" highlights critical facts and figures about the built environment as a major contributor to the climate crisis. It also highlights the vision of a regenerative built environment and presents practical ideas and approaches. The second series “Regenerative Buildings” will focus specifically on the scale of regenerative buildings, emphasizing the use of bio-based materials and how to extend the life cycle of building materials and components.

The Building Energy Codes Working Group has released their latest report on Resilience Issues in Building Energy Codes, led by the Australian Government.

The report, authored by Adam Hinge, MD of Sustainable Energy Partnerships and prepared for the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Building Energy Codes Working Group (BECWG), which is part of the IEA Energy in Buildings and Communities Technical Collaboration Programme (IEA EBC), focuses on the application of building energy codes to improve the building stock’s ability to provide safe indoor thermal conditions and function during extreme events. It reviews the relationship of building energy codes to other building resilience policies and strategies, such as other building/life safety codes, community planning, zoning or other land use regulation to discourage rebuilding in areas most prone to climate disasters, and other resilience planning strategies. The report provides an overview of how different jurisdictions address resilience issues through building energy codes in countries that are part of the IEA EBC Building Energy Codes Working Group.

Read the full report here.

Embodied carbon contributes to 11% of global annual energy-related emissions. Given the scale of the building industry's environmental impact, it is essential that every stakeholder in this sector prioritizes driving action on embodied carbon.

RMI and U.S. Green Building Council recently published a report to accelerate decarbonization by providing answers to key questions about embodied carbon such as "What should we prioritize to reduce embodied carbon?" or "What does the policy landscape look like for embodied carbon?"

This report stresses that now is the time to take decisive action using the best knowledge we have and, in parallel, to accelerate the sector’s learning curve and achieve rapid market transformation. A major challenge that hinders faster progress is “analysis paralysis.” Stakeholders need access to easily understandable scientific takeaways that cut through the noise and provide guidance on how to take immediate action in the building industry. On the other hand, we also must resist the urge to find a “silver bullet” by relying on a single material or design strategy to cut embodied carbon. We must take a critical eye to the science and find solutions that work, no matter where our leverage lies: in policy, on projects, or in product manufacturing.

The report identifies eleven questions that continue to hold back action on embodied carbon, and answers these questions with concise text and illustrations, providing key takeaways and action items as well as providing in-depth resources to be explored.

please read the report here