The interconnectedness of the housing and climate crises is indisputable. Two key statistics underscore this point - first, that the built environment currently accounts for an astonishing 39% [1] of global energy- and process-related carbon emissions, and secondly, that three billion people will be in need of adequate housing by 2030 [2]. Without thinking holistically about the synergies between housing the world’s exploding population and meeting global climate goals, we will inevitably find ourselves in a future where global housing takes up an even larger slice of the carbon pie, and where communities without adequate housing infrastructure become increasingly destabilized by the worsening impacts of climate change-related disasters.

The production of affordable, sustainable housing offers a win-win solution for climate and housing. The environmentally-conscious construction, retrofitting, and operation of green houses that are characterized by lower carbon footprints, improved environmental quality, and resilience to natural disasters can provide substantial climate mitigation and adaptation benefits, all while addressing the global housing deficit with a new supply of cost-effective and environmentally-conscious homes.

Sustainable housing comes in many forms, whether it means turning to lower-carbon building materials to reduce the embodied carbon associated with the construction process or addressing operational carbon through energy-efficient designs and renewable energy usage. Take cement, for example: if the cement industry were represented as a country, it would be the world’s third largest carbon emitter after the US and China. A growing body of research and technological advancement is signaling the viability of greener alternatives for traditional cement from waste-based concrete, hempcrete, ashcrete, and fiber concrete to timber, bamboo, green bricks, and rammed-earth techniques. Scientists are even pointing to the potential for innovative alternatives like crushed seashells.

Embracing greener construction techniques requires a collective shift in mindset and a forward-aimed vision for a more sustainable and inclusive future. It also requires mobilizing alternative financing and demonstrating cost-effectiveness to drive innovative capital into sustainable housing projects.  Such projects can offer direct cost savings (i.e. through the use of lower-cost green construction materials and renewable energy sources) while at the same time unlocking access to green bonds, subsidies, and incentives. The World Green Building Council estimates the global investment opportunity for sustainable housing at up to $17 trillion USD [3].

In this blog I will be exploring the challenges, opportunities and questions circling the sustainable housing industry, from green financing options to low-carbon building techniques. The world is facing challenges never before seen, but I believe in the power of human ingenuity and empathy to make a change. The necessary solutions have already been identified and proven but now require the proper financing, technology, policies, and collective action to be brought to scale. And we must act now.