In an era dominated by furthering self-interests and polarizing political debates on climate change, a quiet revolution is taking place, regardless of the political landscape. The transformation of our built environment currently underway stands as one of the most remarkable yet understated stories in the fight against climate change and despair. Far from
the international and political spotlight, architects, planners, and builders are revolutionizing how we design and construct the built environment, demonstrating the significant power of architecture and planning to drive greenhouse gas emissions reductions, address community and social well-being, and solve critical local, regional, and global challenges.
Turning Point: Global Building Emissions Begin Declining
Recent data marks a watershed moment: global building sector operating emissions (heating, cooling, lighting, hot water, plug load, etc.) stabilized between 2018 and 2022, decreased by 1 percent in 2023, and are projected to continue falling under government announced pledges, according to the International Energy Agency (World Energy Outlook 2024). This achievement is particularly wrnoteworthy given that the global building stock expanded by approximately 320 billion square feet (29.7 billion m²) from 2018 to 2024—the equivalent of the total building area of the United States. Instead of operating emissions rising alongside this growth, the sector not only stabilized but also began reducing emissions.
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