2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction Spotlights Heritage, Traditional Knowledge
The new Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR) released at COP27 contains a far-ranging discussion of cultural heritage thanks to the work of members of the Climate Heritage Network’s GlobalABC Task Team.
The Buildings-GSR is a flagship publication of the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC). The GlobalABC was created in 2016 at the behest of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) following the Paris Climate Summit to represent the vast worldwide building and construction industry. First issued in 2018, the Buildings-GSR provides an annual snapshot of the progress towards a zero emission, efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector aligned with the Paris Agreement goals. It also provides stakeholders with evidence to persuade policymakers and the overall buildings and construction community to take action.
The CHN became a member of the GlobalABC in 2021, affording a pathway for its member organisations to link their work on decarbonizing the built environment and adapting it to climate change to broader global efforts. CHN engagement with the GlobalABC is managed by a Task Team coordinated by Carl Elefante, FAIA, FAPT LEED AP, former President of the American Institute of Architects and the representative of Architecture 2030 on the CHN Steering Committee.
CHN membership in the GlobalABC brings with it the opportunity to review drafts of the annual global status reports. For the 2022 B-GSR, the Task Team organized a small volunteer group of heritage conservation professionals to participate in this effort. The group was led by Dr. Robyn Pender, Senior Building Conservator, Historic England, and included:
Jean Carroon, FAIA, LEED Fellow, Principal, Goody Clancy Architecture, USA;
Peter A. Cox, FRSA, Managing Director, Carrig Conservation, Ireland;
Dr. C. Irem Gencer, Associate Professor, Yildiz Technical University, Turkey (representing ICOMOS); and
Dr. Mokọ́ládé Johnson, Professor, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Ultimately, the CHN group reviewed and commented on three drafts of the 2022 B-GSR. The 2022 B-GSR included two “special chapters,” one on the African Region and another on Building Materials. For CHN reviewers, these chapters provided a valuable opportunity to introduce heritage and culture perspectives beyond ones which typically reflect “Global North” biases.
The following paragraphs quoted from the 2022 G-GSR Executive Summary illustrate the influence of CHN’s review team.
“As a priority, it will be critical for those nations that do not yet have mandatory codes to develop both the codes and their regulatory framework and the skills and capacity to implement energy efficient and sustainable building codes that make use of local best practices and traditions. As part of this effort, energy efficient traditional and sustainable construction and building practices,which are a cornerstone of African cultural heritage, should be promoted and formalized in building codes so that housing is constructed within the local context and acts to preserve African culture while being of a high quality and affordable.”
“Transitioning to a future of low-carbon buildings requires the design of multi-beneficial material strategies that take a whole building life cycle and systems-thinking approach. The longevity of buildings infrastructure needs to be incentivized financially and legislatively to encourage low-carbon adaptation and refurbishment that extends building lifespans without locking in operational energy inefficiencies…However, the most urgent priority must be to increase the longevity of existing and new building stock and reuse existing components whenever possible.”
CHN’s Buildings and Infrastructure Issues lead group is encouraged and look forward to continuing and deepening engagement with the GlobalABC. It is a crucial time for adding the voices of CHN’s arts, culture, and heritage communities to climate action discourse in the building sector.
Learn more about the CHN’s work on climate change, culture and buildings and infrastructure here.
Discover the CHN’s Working Group 3 resource “Building Reuse is Climate Action!” here.
