COP29: Researchers unite in call for better building sector net-zero strategies

A global network of researchers in sustainable building innovation has issued a Collective Call to Action to drive new approaches that better align science and policy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the building and real estate sector.

They argue that the sector is critical in achieving the legally binding Paris Agreement net zero emission targets for 2050, which are needed to ensure the Earth's systems remain within safe operating boundaries.

As world leaders gather in Baku, Azerbaijan for the United Nations climate change conference COP29 (11–22 November), more than 100 scholars and researchers have already committed to the Call, which is supported by the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment and the IEA EBC Annex 89, and endorsed by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The initiative is being led by researchers from the University of Melbourne, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany and Aalto University, Finland. The group argues that, at the current pace, emissions reduction efforts of governments, industries and societies fall short of what is needed.

University of Melbourne Professor Greg Foliente, Enterprise Professor of Sustainable and Resilient Built Environment in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT), who is co-leading the initiative, said it is imperative that we "address the dual challenges of meeting basic human needs and supporting socio-economic development, while staying within a rapidly shrinking global emission budget."

"While sufficiency of the building stock is often talked about in some developed countries, the UN-Habitat 2023 estimates indicate that by 2030, 3 billion people will need access to safe and sustainable housing. There will be a large global housing deficit on present estimates," Professor Foliente said.

"Creating a safe and just society is a shared responsibility. Around the world, frontline decision-makers who plan, deliver and manage the built environment face unique local conditions and socio-economic challenges. Only together can we develop effective policies and actions to address the climate challenge."

"In Australia, for instance, it has been said that buildings and infrastructure are directly responsible for almost one third of Australia's total carbon emissions, and indirectly responsible for over half of all emissions."

FEIT Dean Professor Thas Nirmalathas said the University is committed to inspiring innovative and actionable solutions that reduce carbon emissions in the sector, including hosting an international conference on Decarbonizing the Building Industry on its Parkville campus on 18 and 19 November.

"I encourage researchers, policymakers and all stakeholders to answer this important call," Professor Nirmalathas said.

Co-leader Professor Thomas Lützkendorf, former Chair for Sustainable Management of Housing and Real Estate in the Department of Economic and Business Engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, said the role of public policy, governance and administration is increasingly complex in an era where the "dual goals of climate protection and adaptation—especially in the built environment—are in focus."

"Science needs to inform this crucial role by making research accessible and offering clear recommendations for action. Scientists must uphold their responsibility to both society and the environment by actively collaborating and contributing solutions to these urgent challenges," Professor Lützkendorf said.

The call to action

Researchers and scientists are invited to sign the commitment, and policymakers and industry stakeholders to endorse it: https://sbe-series.org/climate-action/

Anyone who believes in an evidence-based approach to drive impactful change can sign the call as a supporter.

The Call highlights the urgency of setting and implementing carbon limits in the construction and real estate sectors, aligned with globally defined Earth system boundaries, to ensure our actions stay within the "safe and just" zones. It emphasizes the importance of social equity and justice in establishing country-specific carbon limits and reduction pathways, ensuring that solutions are context-driven and fair.

The commitment to action encourages researchers in any discipline who could contribute to the broader sector to collaborate across disciplines and pursue transdisciplinary innovation across the value chain, supporting both national and global efforts in the decarbonization of the built environment.

They are also encouraged to foster education, training and mentorship for current and future professionals, ensuring they are fully equipped to address the pressing challenges of climate change and adaptation.

Provided by University of Melbourne