According to the World Green Building Council, buildings currently account for a staggering 39 percent of global emissions, while trillions of dollars’ worth of real estate assets are at risk due to climate-related disasters. At the same time, utility providers are struggling to scale infrastructure to meet growing energy demands spurred by economic growth and development and unprecedented temperature extremes resulting in higher than usual utility charges and devastating outages. Now more than ever, the industry’s progress toward net zero emissions and resilience is critical.

As owners and investors face mounting pressure to make new projects compliant with modern environmental standards, the concept of “whole-life” carbon has become a focus of increased interest. The model approximates the total emissions of a structure, both during construction and over its lifespan. A panel at the 2024 Asia Pacific Summit in Tokyo took a hard look at the implications of this approach.

If the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that our society’s deep desire to return to “normal” has sparked a reevaluation of what normal should entail. As urban populations continue to grow, and individuals look to reclaim their place in the community, the question arises: have our downtowns evolved enough to meet these new demands?

Industry pressures abound to decarbonize existing buildings, and some geographies and asset classes make it more challenging than others. This is particularly the case for tall buildings in cold climates keen on decarbonizing their heating system as part of a larger retrofit plan. What technologies are best for the retrofit? How do owners make the projects pencil out financially? Has anyone done these projects before, or do owners face first-mover risks?

In today’s real estate industry, developing and retrofitting buildings to be more sustainable and energy efficient is more important than ever. The urgency to decarbonize is being driven by local, federal, and global commitments to drastically cut energy use and reach net zero emissions.

Clients are looking to landscape architects to increase resilience to climate impacts faster—and address biodiversity loss

Preserve will enable the consistent assessment and measurement of climate transition impacts in real estate investment models.

Collaboration showcases cutting-edge tech solutions to key real estate challenges.

Today the U.S. Department of Energy released its definition of what constitutes a “zero emissions building,” a move that aims to bring clarity to the real estate and building industry as it works to decarbonize its assets and portfolios.

How do construction projects measure and report carbon emissions? Across the industry, organizations are being tasked with carbon accounting, whether for corporate sustainability goals or for regulatory reporting requirements. Unfortunately, there isn’t a consistent industry-wide method to measure or report it.