Decarbonising the global building stock is central to reducing global emissions. From the carbon emissions associated with construction to the resilience of homes, schools and hospitals in a changing climate, the decisions made today will shape communities and the built environment for generations.

Ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, the conference presidency is seeking to accelerate building decarbonisation progress with the launch of the Antalya Compact for Energy Efficient Buildings.

The framework aims to help governments and industry reduce emissions from the built environment while improving the quality, affordability and resilience of buildings worldwide.

Open for endorsement by all participating countries, the Compact advances two of COP31’s Global Targets for 2035: reducing the operational energy intensity of the global building stock by at least 25% against 2020 levels, and accelerating efficient electrification as part of an ambition to increase electricity’s share of global energy consumption to 35%.

Developed under Türkiye’s COP31 Presidency, with support from the secretariat of the UN Environment Programme-hosted Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), the framework outlines a common approach for governments, cities, financial institutions and buildings-sector stakeholders.

“Buildings are at the heart of our cities and of the energy transition,” says COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change for the Republic of Türkiye.

“With the Antalya Compact, we are moving from ambition to implementation – accelerating practical action to make buildings more efficient, resilient and sustainable around the world.”

Tackling the built environment’s carbon footprint

According to the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) ‘Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026’, buildings account for nearly 40% of energy-related carbon emissions and energy demand.

Meanwhile, the global building footprint continues to expand. In 2024, total building floor area increased by 1.7%, reaching 272 billion square metres.

This growth makes the sustainability of both new construction and existing buildings increasingly important. Improving the environmental performance of new developments avoids locking in emissions for decades, while renovating existing properties offers opportunities to reduce resource consumption and improve comfort.

The investment challenge also remains substantial, with UNEP estimating that an additional US$3.6tn in cumulative energy efficiency investment is needed by 2030 to align investment levels with the 2050 net-zero pathway.

In the report’s foreword, Martin Krause, Director of UNEP’s Climate Change Division, writes: “Over the past decade, global building floor area has expanded rapidly, while energy demand and emissions have grown more slowly. Energy efficiency, cleaner power and better design have delivered tangible progress.”

Despite highlighting that building decarbonisation is failing to keep pace with construction rates, he suggests that the efficiency gains recorded “show that the sector can grow while reducing its climate impact and that policies, markets and technology can align.”

He also argues that buildings should be viewed as an opportunity to deliver wider social and environmental benefits, from meeting housing needs and reducing costs to strengthening resilience against climate extremes and supporting inclusive economic growth.

Six priorities for sustainable buildings

The Antalya Compact identifies six areas for action, giving countries a framework to integrate building sustainability into their climate and development strategies.

These include strengthening the environmental performance of new and existing buildings, accelerating renovation, reducing energy demand, expanding electrification and improving building flexibility. The framework also calls for greater investment and capacity to support implementation at scale.

In practice, this could mean stronger building standards, renovation programmes and investment in social housing, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure.

Electrifying heating, cooling and cooking also reduces reliance on fossil fuels, particularly as electricity generation becomes cleaner.

The Compact recognises that countries will follow different pathways according to their national circumstances, starting points and resources. Its six action areas are intended to provide a shared direction while allowing flexibility in implementation.

The framework builds on the Déclaration de Chaillot, endorsed by more than 70 countries in 2024, which called for a rapid, fair and effective transition towards near-zero-emission and resilient buildings.

The Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate was subsequently established at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to strengthen international cooperation and support implementation.

For Yves-Laurent Sapoval, co-chair of GlobalABC, the transition must deliver benefits that extend beyond emissions reductions.

“Half of the buildings that will exist in 2050 have yet to be built and most existing buildings need to be renovated,” he says. “The choices we make today will shape our cities and communities for decades to come.”

He adds that sustainable buildings should also provide “homes people can afford to heat and cool, schools where children can learn comfortably, and hospitals that can deliver essential services without wasting energy”.

From commitments to implementation

The Antalya Compact provides a framework for turning international climate ambitions into practical action across the construction and property sectors. I

ts success, however, will depend on countries translating commitments into effective policies, renovation programmes and investment.

The COP31 Presidency is encouraging governments and stakeholders to endorse the Compact, with the Intergovernmental Council for Buildings and Climate’s ministerial meeting on 12 November offering a further opportunity to build momentum.

COP31 – key partners

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Executive Director: Inger Andersen | HQ: Nairobi, Kenya

UNEP is the UN’s leading environmental authority and a key source of research and policy guidance on climate change. Through GlobalABC, it helps coordinate international action on building decarbonisation, energy efficiency and climate resilience. Its Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction provides essential evidence on the sector’s emissions, energy demand and investment needs, making it particularly relevant to the article.

UN-Habitat

Executive Director: Anacláudia Rossbach | HQ: Nairobi, Kenya

UN-Habitat works with governments and local authorities to promote sustainable urban development, adequate housing and resilient communities. At COP31, it is co-hosting the Resilient Cities, Buildings and Cooling Pavilion alongside GlobalABC, the Cool Coalition and Türkiye’s İLBANK. Its work connects building efficiency with urban planning, sustainable cooling and climate-resilient housing.