Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction Sectors Band Together to Fight Climate Change

At the United Nations (U.N.) Climate Change Conference’s first ever “Buildings Day,” more than 60 international organizations and 18 countries and territories  announced a partnership aimed at mobilizing international resources for developing climate-resilient solutions for member cities, regions, and countries, and for scaling up current initiatives to tackle climate change in the built environment. The newly-formed  Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GABC)'s plans align with global efforts to  limit the average atmospheric temperature to   2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels. 

Many partners have  existing initiatives that they wish to scale up. For example, Architecture 2030 operates the 2030 Challenge, a program that encourages architecture firms to design new buildings, developments, and major renovations that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The organization plans to implement  net-zero design professional  training programs in the U.S., China, and South Korea in 2016, adding other countries as partnerships are formed, and expand its private–public partnerships in designated urban areas committed to reducing energy consumption.

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