Roughly half of the raw materials we extract go into the world’s built environment. Construction creates an estimated third of the world’s overall waste and at least 40% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. These figures are devastating. But they also mean that the construction sector has the power to make a relevant contribution to reversing the climate emergency, if it succeeds in overcoming „business as usual“. There is huge potential in construction to make a relevant contribution to reversing the climate emergency and to discover new areas of business in the wake of digitalization. This can only succeed if all stakeholders – from architects and users to builders and investors – are involved.

In a number of short essays, the book develops a global perspective on economic, social and ecological changes in the industry, it highlights the experiences of various market players in the form of interviews, it presents best practice examples, and finally dispels the most common prejudices on the subject of sustainable construction. A book for practitioners and policymakers aimed at removing barriers in our minds, legal frameworks, and practices.