Feature image: The LEED Gold Park Avenue Warsaw in Warsaw, Poland. Photo credit: Park Avenue 2010 Sp. z o.o.

A new decarbonization paper shows how USGBC responds to the urgent need for building decarbonization to address the escalating climate crisis: "From Vision to Action: USGBC Advancing Building Decarbonization.” The report outlines key actions USGBC is taking to reduce carbon emissions from the building sector, a critical step toward achieving global climate goals. The report was released at the Buildings and Climate Global Forum (BCGF), an event led by the French government and supported by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) in Paris this week.

Over the past several decades, the global green building community has proved that buildings can significantly reduce carbon emissions and natural resource consumption; protect biodiversity; create healthier indoor environments; support disaster mitigation, preparedness and recovery; improve affordability; and drive the creation of financial value, among other groundbreaking outcomes.

Scientists have long emphasized the necessity of cutting global carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2030 to avert the worst impacts of climate change, making building decarbonization a top priority.

Decarbonization, defined as the removal of greenhouse gas production from the global economy, has become imperative, with buildings identified as a critical sector to address. Buildings currently account for approximately one-third of global energy-based emissions, with that proportion growing when considering construction, materials and emissions related to water and waste.

The report highlights USGBC's role in championing sustainable building practices and advocating for decarbonization efforts. Through collaboration with industry stakeholders, USGBC aims to drive market transformation and scale proven practices to reduce buildings' whole life carbon (WLC) impact, focusing on addressing both operational and embodied carbon emissions in buildings. This comprehensive strategy involves implementing efficiency measures, electrification, clean power sources and reduction of embodied carbon in materials.

LEED v5, the latest version of USGBC's LEED rating system, takes center stage in the report. With a strong emphasis on climate action and quality of life, LEED v5 aims to serve as a decarbonization mechanism. LEED v5 will redefine green building leadership for this new era, driving decarbonization progress in alignment with international targets while supporting critical outcomes in human health, climate resilience, biodiversity and social equity.

The first draft of LEED v5 to be released was for existing buildings, to underscore the importance of retrofitting to reduce carbon emissions. Despite improvements in building efficiency, overall emissions from the commercial building sector have remained flat, necessitating concerted efforts to retrofit existing structures. This year, LEED project counts have hit all-time highs for total commercial project certifications and for LEED for Operations and Maintenance certifications.

The Vision to Action report serves as a call to action for industry stakeholders, policymakers and communities to prioritize building decarbonization efforts and work toward a more sustainable future.

Download the report

Building decarbonization to combat climate change