Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC)

📢 Meet the Speakers at the Future Cities-Africa Green Building Summit 2024! 📢   Be part of a compelling Plenary Session 3 titled "Creating Resilient & Inclusive Urban Spaces in the Heart of Africa" where participants will explore the imperative of urban resilience and inclusivity. This session addresses climate-responsive design, green infrastructure, affordable housing, accessible transportation, and community engagement. Panelists will share insights on integrating social, economic, and environmental aspects to build resilient, inclusive urban environments.   Panelists: - Prof. Talibat Lawanson, Professor of Management & Governance, University of Lagos - Thandi Katlholo, Vice President, Botswana Green Building Council - Karim SELOUANE, PhD, Co-Chair, Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) Adaptation Working Group - Judy Zakreski 赵笛, Senior VP, Global Operations & Solutions, International Code Council - Bakang Moeng, Advocacy, Public Policy & Sustainability Specialist, Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) - Tebogo 'Tebby' Modisagape, President, Botswana Green Building Council (Moderator)   Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the transformative power of inclusive urban planning and how it can drive sustainable development in Africa. Scan the QR code or visit www.futurecities.ng to find out more and register for your free ticket!   📅 Date: July 18, 2024  🕒 Time: 11:00 AM GMT+1  📍 Venue: Lagos Oriental Hotel   🙏 A heartfelt thanks to our exceptional partner, IFC - International Finance Corporation, for making this event possible. We are also deeply grateful to our incredible sponsors: Mixta Africa, ELALAN Construction Company Nigeria Ltd., Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Kohler Africa, CardinalStone, Bifem Paralu S.A.R.L, Cappa and D'Alberto Ltd, Watergen Ltd, Nairda Limited, Urban Shelter Limited, GPFI Group , Litedares Consult Limited, Q Associates, James Cubitt Interiors, Space & Shelta Nigeria Ltd, KOA Consultants Ltd, WOODstyles Ltd, and Tranos. Together, we are paving the way for the future of sustainable urban development in Africa! 🌍   Want to become a summit partner? 🤝 It's not too late to sign up for our various partnership opportunities, including sponsorships, product exhibitions, showcases, and adverts. Reach out to [email protected] to find out more.   #UrbanResilience #InclusiveDevelopment #SustainableCities #ClimateResponsiveDesign #UrbanPlanning #FutureCitiesAfrica #FutureCitiesSummit2024 #AGBSummit2024

Today VELUX launched the French version of the Healthy Buildings Barometer 2024 at an event in Paris gathering some 1500 private and public decision-makers and -influencers to discuss sustainable housing and cities in France. Thank you Mariangiola Fabbri for presenting the highlights of the report!   The Barometer, developed by BPIE - Buildings Performance Institute Europe for VELUX, not only highlights the scope of the problem and thus the opportunity of tackling health and well-being in buildings, but also introduces a new, holistic definition of what a ‘healthy building’ is, and paves a way forward in terms of addressing the shortcomings.   The French numbers, just like the overall EU numbers, are significant:  ◾ 1 in 4 Frenchmen currently live in a dwelling where the indoor air quality is below national standards. ◾ In 2012, almost a fifth of French people lived in houses that were too hot. Since then, the problem has augmented significantly: from 2015 to 2022, the need to cool homes increased by over 50% The benefits, meanwhile are also substantial: ◾ In France, deep energy renovation of residential buildings can lead to more than €750 million in savings for the healthcare system, more than €660 million in social security savings, and more than €60 million in private contributions ◾ It would take France only 2.19 years to recover the costs it would take to fix some of the major issues with their housing stock (such as dampness or structural safety)   Read more in the French Healthy Buildings Barometer 2024 or gain a full overview in the EU version - link for both in comments.   #EPBD #HealthyBuildings #IEQ

🌆 The relationship between #cities and the #environment is deeply intertwined. On one hand, the environment directly impacts cities, their populations, and livelihoods. On the other hand, cities rapidly drive environmental change: 🌳 Urban sprawl affects ecosystems and biodiversity. 💨 Cities are responsible for 75% of global emissions. 🗑️ Cities generate considerable waste. With cities occupying only 3% of the Earth's land yet being the biggest driving force of environmental and economic change, focusing on #SDG11 is critical to drive sustainable urban development. What can we do?  • Focus on urban planning that prioritizes green spaces and low carbon infrastructure  • Adopting a circular economy that encourages recycling, waste reduction and sustainable consumption  • Investing in efficient and clean public transit systems  • Adopting renewable energy sources CC: UNEP

📢 We are excited to announce the publication of our new discussion paper: "Extended Producer Responsibility in the Construction Sector: Exploring the Potential." 📄🏗️ 🔗 Read the full paper here 👉 https://loom.ly/_r3-Fkw ❓Why is EPR crucial for the construction sector❓ #ExtendedProducerResponsibility (EPR) internalizes environmental costs, adhering to the ‘polluter pays’ principle. While EPR is effective for packaging, batteries, end-of-life vehicles, textiles and electronics, its application in construction remains largely untapped. ✅ Resource use and waste: The EU construction industry uses nearly 50% of extracted materials and generates almost 40% of the EU’s waste. Despite 95% of building materials being recyclable, less than 5% of their resource value is preserved. ✅ Climate goals: Greater material efficiency could reduce emissions from building materials by up to 80%, alleviate supply chain insecurities, and reduce environmental impacts. ✅ EPR can enhance recycling infrastructure, promote circular business models, and incentivize eco-friendly design choices in construction. ✅ Examples from France and the Netherlands clearly demonstrate that EPR in construction is *feasible* and *beneficial*. EU Policy Context – ⏰ now is the time to take action on EPR With the revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), the role of EPR in construction is timely. Upcoming regulations like the revised #EPBD, EU #Taxonomy, and #CPR are pushing for low-carbon, circular construction materials. To maximize EPR’s impact, collaboration among green public procurement, whole life carbon, energy efficiency, and circular construction communities is essential. 🤝🏻 Great work on a complex topic from lead authors Lisa Graaf and Zsolt Toth as well as Rutger Broer and Jules Oriol for the compiling the insights to the case studies France and the Netherlands. 💭 We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

🌍🏢 Did you know buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions? As urbanization accelerates, making our buildings greener is more crucial than ever! By adopting energy-efficient designs, using sustainable materials, and implementing renewable energy solutions, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint. 🌿🌞 📣 Join the movement to create a sustainable future! Discover how greener buildings can help counter climate change and why this is an urgent priority for everyone. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dUN-iKAt UN Environment Programme #GlobalABC #BuildForClimate #SustainableBuilding #ClimateAction #EnergyEfficiency #RenewableEnergy #ClimateChange

We have to reach net zero. But a narrow focus on decarbonisation risks fast-tracking us into an even greater inequality crisis, with negative consequences for governments, businesses, people and planet. Today, IHRB launches ‘Advancing Just Transitions in the Built Environment’ – a report bringing together two years of global research revealing examples of positive and negative social impacts of climate action in eight cities: Lagos, Prague, Melbourne, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Jakarta, Valparaíso and Athens. The project analysed the impact of #builtenvironment decarbonisation policies and actions on human rights, particularly the right to housing, construction worker rights, meaningful participation, and socio-spatial inequality. Read the report to: 💡 Uncover inspiring examples of governments and businesses that are making cities greener and more affordable. 🏡 Learn more about how a human rights approach can turn the tide on growing ‘greenlash’ - opposition from people and communities negatively impacted by climate initiatives. Governments, businesses and investors can apply existing human rights frameworks to green initiatives so that solutions to social problems are baked into climate action, increasing public support. ✅ Get recommendations for businesses and policy-makers at national and regional levels to help grasp enormous opportunities for social and economic innovation through climate action. 🔎 Explore the findings on the report website or browse below: https://lnkd.in/dxRKfyKF Local research teams who contributed to this project are: 🇬🇷 Liam O Farrell, Vicky Kaisidou, PhD and Dimitrios Tsomokos 🇩🇰 Line Knudsen and Christine Lunde Rasmussen 🇮🇩 Dayinta Pinasthika 🇳🇬 Oluwafemi Joshua Ojo 🇵🇹 Diana Soeiro  🇦🇺 Joanna Tidy, Lucy Lyon, Natalie Galea, Judy Bush and Dan Hill 🇨🇿 Michaela Pixová 🇨🇱 Sebastian Smart, Rodrigo Caimanque and Belén Segura Mora Laudes Foundation Ove Arup Foundation ICLEI BWI - GLOBAL UNION - Building and Wood Workers' International Alejandra Rivera Giulio Ferrini Marta Ribera Carbó Andreia Fidalgo Annabel Short Urban Future.

🌟 Exciting News! Applications for the MENA Green Building Awards are Open! 🌟 We are thrilled to announce that the MENA Green Building Awards are now accepting applications. This prestigious event celebrates excellence and innovation in sustainable building practices across the region. Don't miss the chance to showcase your achievements and be recognized as a leader in green building! This year, we have 16 categories for you to compete in: 1.   Net Zero Energy Building Project of the Year 2.   Existing Sustainable Building Project of the Year 3.   Sustainable Design Project of the year 4. Healthy Spaces Project of the year 5. Sustainable Retrofit Project of the Year 6. Sustainable Facility Management Organization of the Year 7. Sustainable Contractor of the Year 8. Sustainable Developer of the Year 9. Sustainable consultant of the Year 10. Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year 11. Sustainable Building Product of the Year – Indoor Air Quality 12. Sustainable Building Product of the Year – Energy Management 13. Sustainable Building Product of the Year – Water Management 14. Sustainable Building Product of the Year – Construction Material 15. Sustainable Building Research Award of the Year 16. Sustainability Training Initiative of the Year   Learn more about these categories and how to apply on our website: https://lnkd.in/dSjg-ju Don't miss this opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work and dedication to sustainability. Apply now and join us in celebrating the best in green building across the MENA region! Iraq Green Building Council Tunisia Green Building Council Jordan Green Building Council - المجلس الأردني للأبنية الخضراء | Jordan GBC Palestine Green Building Council Lebanon GBC Egypt Green Building Council (Egypt GBC) Kuwait Green Building Council Morocco Green Building Council Bahrain GBC   #MENAGreenBuildingAwards #Sustainability #GreenBuilding #Innovation #EnergyEfficiency #WaterConservation #RenewableEnergy #SustainableDesign #GreenConstruction #EnvironmentalLeadership #ApplyNow #GreenBuildingLeaders #MENA #MENAGBAwards

🌟 That’s a wrap! 🌟 The 2024 online GlobalABC Annual Assembly was a success thanks to your strong attendance and participation! 📊 This past year was extraordinary for the GlobalABC community. We celebrated significant milestones including the launch of the #BuildingsBreakthrough at COP28 UAE and the first Buildings and Climate Global Forum in Paris. These achievements highlight the incredible impact we can make together! Thank you for all the members' ongoing support as we continue to drive this ambitious agenda. Let’s keep making a difference! 🌍🏢 #GlobalABC #SustainableBuildings #ClimateAction #BuildForClimate

🌍 The EU needs a holistic approach to climate adaptation for the built environment based on principles of Just #Resilience. https://loom.ly/u8tvYX8 This is more relevant than ever: #Climate impacts are increasingly posing direct threats to our #health, safety, and economy: 💸 Climate-related extreme events have already caused an estimated €650 billion in damages from 1980 to 2022. 📉 In 2023, EU economic losses related to weather and climate events exceeded €13.4 billion which is more than the total EU budget for security and defence between 2021-2027. 🌪️ The EU risks economic losses of €1 trillion per year due to coastal flooding by the century's end. 🌊 Nearly 13% of EU cities have significant populations at risk of river flooding. 🌡️ Heat-related deaths in the EU have increased by 94% between 2000 and 2020. A strategic approach to adapt our built environment to climate change, alongside reducing its carbon footprint, offers a vital opportunity to protect our health, security, and economy. This approach ensures: 🏠 Buildings and homes protect us against extreme weather events. 💡 Money is well spent on energy renovation, technology deployment, and socio-economic and environmental needs. 🛡️ investments in energy renovations endure over time and external shocks. Vulnerable people are not left behind The EU has made significant efforts to embed climate #adaptation into various policies, but there is no centralised strategy for a climate-resilient built environment. Our initial exploration into Adaptation confirms it deserves more attention and action from EU policymakers. The Council has acknowledged this and called on both the Commission and Member States to “further develop and implement solutions to narrow the climate protection gap, taking into account the need to incentivise preventive adaptation measures” (§20 of the Council conclusions, “The way forward to a green and just transition for a sustainable Europe”, 17th June 2024) BPIE’s suggestions, specifically for the built environment are well timed! 🔗 Read the paper here: https://loom.ly/u8tvYX8 💭 We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Bravo to our lead author Emily Bankert for bringing this piece to life!

Using local laterite bricks and eucalyptus wood, the Lycée Schorge Secondary School in Burkina Faso integrates traditional building materials and techniques to create an eco-friendly learning environment. These materials naturally regulate temperatures while reducing the need for artificial cooling and cutting the building’s carbon footprint. Such energy-saving techniques are key as 70% of Africa's building stock that will exist in 2040 are still to be constructed. https://lnkd.in/edxuMWmh