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

United Nations Environment Programme

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

dc.contributor.author	United Nations Environment Programme
dc.contributor.organization	Industry and Economy Division
dc.date.accessioned	2023-09-18T11:47:23Z
dc.date.available	2023-09-18T11:47:23Z
dc.date.issued	2023-09
dc.description	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.	en
dc.description.uri	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.
dc.format	pdf
dc.identifier.uri	https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/43377
dc.language	English
dc.language	Russian
dc.language	Chinese
dc.language	French
dc.language	Spanish
dc.page.number	2 p.
dc.relation.ispartof	Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future
dc.rights.accessLevel	Public
dc.subject	building material
dc.subject	climate
dc.subject.classification	building
dc.subject.sdg	SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
dc.subject.sdg	SDG 13 - Climate Action
dc.subject.theme	climate
dc.subject.theme	natural areas
dc.subject.theme	landscape
dc.subject.theme	ecosystems
dc.title	Building Materials and the Climate: Constructing a New Future - Key Messages	en
dc.title.alternative	Informe del PNUMA sobre el Índice de Desperdicio de Alimentos 2024: Mensajes clave	es
dc.title.alternative	Message clés – Les matériaux de construction et le climat : Construire un nouveau futur	fr
dc.title.alternative	КЛЮЧЕВЫЕ СООБЩЕНИЯ — Строительные материалы и климат: построение нового будущего	ru
dc.type	Policy brief