Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future - Key Messages

This document highlights the urgent need to decarbonise building materials, which are projected to become the main source of emissions in the construction sector as operational carbon levels fall. It calls for a full lifecycle approach that considers environmental, health and ecosystem impacts from extraction to demolition. The text highlights the potential for emerging economies to bypass carbon-intensive practises, while industrialised countries focus on retrofitting existing buildings. Nature-based solutions, such as green surfaces, are emphasised for their benefits in energy conservation, water management and biodiversity. Three integrated strategies — avoiding unnecessary extraction through circular economy principles, switching to renewable bio-based materials and improving the decarbonisation of conventional materials such as cement, steel and aluminium — are presented as essential.