It ’ s a complete shift from how we ’ re used to building buildings and infrastructure systems , so we support industry along that journey on the ambitions of the Paris Agreement , as well as the UN ’ s Global Goals for Sustainable Development . Burrows wants to see an industry that is Net Zero by 2050 . One that will make sustainable construction second nature . Indeed , construction will have to halve its emissions as soon as 2030 so that warming is kept to 1.5 degrees . “ No emissions , no fossil fuels ,” she says . “ That is a huge challenge . Net zero is part of the journey of being completely emission free .”
First things first : identify the target of decarbonisation . It ’ s not just buildings , it ’ s the entire built environment ; that is , the buildings and the infrastructure holding those buildings together . She must demonstrate that addressing emissions in the built environment is a critical climate solution .
As Burrows told Bloomberg : “ Through holistic approaches to reducing emissions , we can also bring significant social and economic benefits – and we really felt like we used that moment to demonstrate why it ’ s necessary to tackle emissions from the built environment .”
To do this , the Council must work with sundry players from across the world of construction : “ The membership that the World Green Building Council represents spans right across the value chain . We engage with investors and policy makers , right across to SMEs and the supply chain that are actually building the buildings and the equipment that goes into operating thos buildings .”
In the end , Burrows hopes her organisation ’ s work will change “ the ways that buildings are designed and built , the way they are operated and the way they ’ re optimised for deconstruction and disassembly ”.
“ It ’ s a complete shift from how we ’ re used to building buildings and infrastructure systems , so we support industry along that journey ,” she concludes . sustainabilitymag . com 21