The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) have released the tenth edition of the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, warning that decarbonisation in the sector has slowed. Buildings remain a major source of emissions and are increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts and energy price shocks. The report stresses that climate action in this sector can reduce energy bills, improve living conditions, and strengthen resilience while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The report highlights the scale of construction worldwide, with 12.7 million square metres of floor area added daily—equivalent to building the city of Paris nearly every week. In 2024, global floor area expanded by 1.7 percent, reaching 273 billion square metres, driven largely by emerging economies. The sector now accounts for nearly half of global material extraction, 37 percent of emissions, and 28 percent of energy consumption.
Since 2015, progress has included an 8.5 percent reduction in global building energy intensity, a tripling of green building certifications, and cumulative investment of USD 2.3 trillion in energy efficiency. However, renewables supplied only 17.3 percent of building energy demand in 2024, far below net-zero requirements. To align with a 2050 pathway, annual investment in building energy efficiency must rise to USD 592 billion by 2030.
Positive examples include the European Union’s policies addressing both operational and embodied emissions, improvements in building performance in Japan and Switzerland, and growth in on-site renewables in countries such as Australia, Germany, India, and Pakistan. Several nations, including Cambodia, Colombia, and the Bahamas, have integrated building strategies into their climate action plans, while updated energy codes and expanded certifications are being adopted across regions.
UNEP and GlobalABC emphasize that governments have a critical opportunity to drive zero-emission, resilient construction through stronger policies, codes, and investment. With half of the world’s buildings yet to be built or renovated by 2050, the report underscores the urgency of accelerating climate action in the sector to meet global net-zero goals while addressing affordability and equity challenges.
