Skip to main content

Sustainable Buildings and Construction: Responding to the SDGs

  • Published on February 17, 2022

Sustainable buildings and construction refer to the process of plan, design, construction, and operation of buildings so that, ultimately, they contribute to sustainable built environments. It takes a holistic approach to design, construct, and operate so that sustainability considerations of environmental, economic, and social considerations are echoed through the life cycle process. It is expected that sustainable buildings also support health and well-being of users through the use of procurement services and operations of the building.

Buildings and construction are a reality of human life in the twenty-first century. Humans live, work, and play in the built environment and in many countries spend large percentage of their time indoors in these environments. Sustainable buildings and construction need to consider a range of different parameters that do not fit into neat boxes. Like the SDGs, buildings also need to be considered from a systemic perspective, as part of a system in terms of design, construction, operation, and deconstruction. This acknowledges and supports the notion that sustainability is indivisible.

This entry commenced by exploring the sustainable development goals and the role of the One Planet Network’s Sustainable Buildings and Construction program. The nature of the building and construction sector shows that the sector may not be perfectly aligned among the various stakeholders and regulatory/legislative frameworks and approaches to buildings and construction in developed and developing countries. Examining sustainable construction in further detail showed that various dimensions need to be considered from ecological, economic, and social (and technical) perspectives. To achieve holistic sustainability outcomes, buildings and construction also need to respond in a manner aligned to the multidimensional approach of the sustainable development goals.

External source(s)

You might also be Interested in