Globalabc.org Website Review

The buildings and construction sector accounts for nearly 40 percent of total energy-related CO2 emissions and 36 percent of final energy use worldwide. A growing population, as well as rapid growth in purchasing power in emerging economies and developing countries means that energy demand in buildings could increase by 50% by 2050. At the same time, global building floor area is expected to double by 2050, driving energy demand and related GHG emissions for construction. On the other hand, the building sector offers the largest cost-effective GHG mitigation potential, with net cost savings and economic gains possible through implementation of existing technologies, policies and building designs. In order to meet this challenge and to bridge this gap, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GABC) was launched at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) Buildings Day in Paris on the 3rd of December 2016. It was initiated by France and the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) to bring together the building and construction industry, countries and stakeholders to raise awareness and facilitate the global transition towards for low-emission, energy-efficient buildings. With its creation, GABC members acknowledged that the buildings and construction sector can contribute significantly to achieving climate goals and the common objective of limiting global warming to well-below 2 Celsius (2°C). Buildings direct and indirect related emissions under the responsibility of the building sector (energy consumption for heating and cooling, hot water and lighting; leakage of F-gas; energy and GHG embedded in Building materials) represent today nearly 20% of the worldwide GHG emissions. Meanwhile the building floor area should double by 2050. The success of the implementation of the Paris agreement needs a real transition towards low energy, low GHG and resilient Buildings. The GABCs challenge is to facilitate this worldwide transition by reinforcing clear actions and initiatives of all stakeholders of the building sector value chain.