The document summarizes a call to action from representatives in the real estate and building industry for immediate steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It notes that buildings are responsible for 40% of global energy use and up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. The building industry can deliver significant emissions reductions at low cost using available technologies. It requests that parties to the UNFCCC climate change framework recognize buildings as a top priority and support measures to encourage investment in energy efficient building projects. Industry representatives commit to actions like retrofitting existing buildings, mandating net-zero energy performance for new public buildings, and dedicating research to climate neutral construction.

1. Buildings & Climate Change
industry call to action
UNEP-SBCI is a partnership between
major public and private sector building
industry stakeholders and UNEP. Since
2006 SBCI has developed a common
platform for discussing and reaching
consensus on buildings and climate
change issues.
We, representatives from the real estate
and building industry, its key
stakeholders, international research and
advocacy networks, and major
private-sector enterprises are
committed to taking
immediate action to mitigate
and adapt to climate change.
The building Buildings are Countries must The building
industry has the responsible for support the building industry can deliver
greatest potential for approximately 40% industry to meet their significant cost savings
delivering greenhouse of global energy use existing commitments and improvements in
gas (GHG) emissions and up to 30% of to Kyoto Protocol and energy and resource
cuts, at the least cost, global GHG to the Bali Roadmap. use. It can also create
using available and emissions. jobs and improve
mature technologies. local economies.
United Nations Environment Programme

2. BUILDING INDUSTRY REQUESTS
the assistance of parties
to the convention
Copenhagen’s climate change framework can facilitate
GHG emissions reduction in the building industry by…
1. … Recognizing the 2. … Enabling market- 3. … Building capacity 4. … Supporting
building industry as based measures that and transfer reform of flexible
a top priority for can support technology to enable mechanisms to
achieving GHG investment in building improvements in encourage investment
emissions reductions. projects that are energy efficiency of in projects that
energy efficient and buildings. improve energy
reduce GHG efficiency and reduce
emissions. GHG emissions from
5. … Encouraging new and existing
UNFCCC to establish buildings.
working groups to develop 6. … Encouraging governments
specific measures for the to inventory and set performance
building industry prior to goals for GHG emissions from
the next commitment national building stocks.
period.
THE KYOTO PROTOCOL AND BUILDINGS
Current Kyoto protocol Only 12 of the 4500 The building industry is Governments gain
does not exploit the projects in the Clean the largest single quality control of
GHG emissions Development industrial employer, building industry
reduction potential of Mechanism (CDM) representing transactions by
buildings. pipeline (as of April approximately: supporting energy
2009) seek to reduce • 10 to 40% of efficient and low
energy demand in countries’ Gross GHG emissions
buildings. Domestic Product measures in
(GDP); buildings.
• 10% of country-level
employment; and
• 74% of employees in
developing countries
with 90% in
companies with less
than ten employees.
Measures to improve
energy efficiency in
buildings lead to direct,
indirect, and induced
jobs created directly in
the real estate
and construction
industries.

3. THE COMMITMENT OF THE BUILDING INDUSTRY
to address climate change
In anticipation that the text of a global climate change
protocol being negotiated at COP15 will recognize the
importance of buildings in tackling climate change, UNEP SBCI
members, partners, and supporters commit to take the following actions
to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the building industry.
PUBLIC RESEARCH &
AUTHORITIES EDUCATION
½ Make publicly MUNICIPALITIES ½ Renovate and
PRIVATE SECTOR
owned buildings ½ Mandate net- NGO & CIVIL build schools to
½ Work to climate neutral. SOCIETY reduce GHG
zero energy
introduce a emissions and
½ Measure base- performance for
carbon trade ½ Advocate foster long term
line GHG all new public
mechanism for communication responsible
emissions to buildings &
buildings. and information- lifestyles.
develop and support the same
sharing, quality
½ Renovate enforce process in ½ Implement
assurance, and
buildings we meaningful developing interdisciplinary
support standard-
occupy to reduce energy & countries and curricula and
setting.
direct and indirect sustainability transitional conduct research
GHG emissions codes and economies with ½ Facilitate on energy,
and improve standards that climate adaptive leadership and GHG emissions
climate achieve: measures and bridge efforts. and social
adaptability. • 40% goals through performance.
improvement in twinning ½ Train building
½ Dedicate energy efficiency programmes. industry ½ Collaborate to
research & by 2020 for professionals and provide a data
development to ½ Develop climate trade people, repository and
existing buildings change strategies
climate neutral, and as well as ongoing analysis
net-zero energy and action-plans educate the next of the climate
• 40% reduction with strategic
buildings, work in GHG emissions generation on impact of
with governments goals to be green building buildings.
by 2020 for new achieved by
on policy buildings and the principles.
development 2020 including
necessary skills making publicly
and educate our and performance
supply chain. owned buildings
standards for climate neutral.
those skills.
½ Agree on a
½ Support the common
development of assessment and
GHG emissions evaluation
standards for process to monitor For more information
building types, progress on on how to join us in this call,
location and use. tackling climate VISIT our website at:
change. www.unepsbci.org

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