User Guides Update

The documents Part 2: User Guide Design Tab, Part 3: User Guide Energy Measures, Part 4: User Guide Water Measures, have been updated with improved language that removes ambiguities on documentation requirements.

Part 1 - Contextual Background

1. The impact of buildings on the environment and the need for green buildings

According to the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), cities only occupy 3% of the planet’s land area, but consume about three-quarters of the world’s natural resources and use about 80% of the global energy supply. Consequently, cities are responsible for about 80% of CO2 emissions related to energy production1.

In Latin America alone, these cities are expected to house 81% of the population by 2030 and this growth will lead to a doubling of the built environment by 2050. Given these urbanization rates and that buildings already generate around 39% of CO2 emissions from energy and consume around 40% of the world’s electricity, it is imperative to reach a higher efficiency and low-carbon standard with new and existing buildings alike.

Statistic Icon
Buildings already generate around 39% of CO2 emissions from energy
39
%

1 Sustainable Urbanization in the Paris Climate Agreement https://onuhabitat.org.mx/index.php/urbanizacion-sostenible-en-el-acuerdo-de-paris