International. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a new initiative that could improve the life cycle sustainability of buildings around the world. It aims to improve the social, environmental and economic performance of buildings by promoting energy and resource efficiency, as well as a shift towards more sustainable production and consumption models in the construction sector.
Buildings last longer than any other type of product, and the environment around them can undergo major changes over their lifetime, UNEP recalls. In addition to emphasizing that, in the next 15 years, two billion people are expected to move from rural environments to cities, especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Growth in construction contributes to environmental issues such as climate change, land use change, scarcity of natural resources and waste generation, but also offers vital opportunities to lead more sustainable lifestyles.
Globally, buildings and the construction sector account for 40% of global energy consumption, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions related to this consumption, approximately 12% of water use, and almost 40% of waste.
Taking into account the above, the Sustainable Building and Construction Programme (SBC) promoted by UNEP aims to foster a better understanding and appreciation of sustainable buildings and to identify the knowledge, resources and incentives needed to construct, maintain and use such a property.
"The performance and resource efficiency of a building is influenced by decisions made throughout its lifecycle, from how a project is planned and designed, how it is funded and constructed, to how it is used and operated, as well as how they are eliminated, reused or recycled at the end of their useful life," says UNEP.
