Sustainable Building Development and Promotion

Dear Colleagues,

The United Nations (UN) is committed to ensuring sustainable global development, aiming to secure a future where economic prosperity, environmental preservation, and social equity coexist harmoniously. Nearly every nation has pledged to support this mission, taking on the responsibility to foster economic growth while simultaneously curbing environmental degradation and ensuring that the benefits of progress are equitably shared across society. However, these goals can sometimes conflict—fossil fuels, for example, have historically been the most cost-effective energy sources but are also the largest contributors to CO2 emissions. As a result, progress towards these sustainable development goals has been uneven. So, what is next? We know that the built environment accounts for over 20% of global pollution, 30% of material consumption, 40% of energy use, and up to 50% of greenhouse gas emissions. Reforming the way we design and construct cities and infrastructure presents significant opportunities to advance sustainability. But there is more to consider. Although countries like the UK are leaders in sustainable construction, their overall impact on global carbon emissions is minimal, with their contributions never exceeding 1%. The same holds for nations such as Australia and Canada. As wealthier countries work towards sustainability, the global impact remains marginal. The challenge intensifies as the global south, comprising mostly of Latin America, Africa, and the majority of Asia, seeks economic advancement. This region is home to over 80% of the world’s population and is experiencing rapid growth. As these countries strive to enhance their economies, they require energy, housing, factories, and infrastructure—just as the developed nations did. While these developments may improve living standards in the short term, they could also exacerbate environmental degradation, potentially undermining the progress made by the wealthier nations. To achieve a truly sustainable future, it is crucial to focus on how the world is built, especially in the global south. However, developing nations often face significant challenges, including limited experience, capital, technology, skills, institutional capacity, and overall capability to build sustainably.

This Topic aims to explore how the economic aspirations of developing nations can be met through the provision of buildings and infrastructure that adhere to world-class sustainability standards. We welcome papers that address, but are not limited to, the following dimensions of international construction:

• offshore market and project identification, evaluation, and selection;
• developing market entry modes (licensing, FIFO, branch office, WOS);
• international alliances and joint ventures, including lead and subcontracting arrangements;
• contracting arrangements, litigation, and legal risk mitigation;
• project risks in developing countries (institutional, social, financial, political, etc.);
• project delivery modes (FIDIC arrangements, design-build, PPP, etc.);
• value chain activity extent;
• material, equipment, and skill procurement (local, offshore, hybrid);
• assessment of contractor and client ‘green’ credentials;
• sustainable building technology transfer and local technology investment;
• human resources development (expatriate vs. local hires);
• management, skilled, and semi-skilled training;
• national sustainability strategies, policy development, and construction industry transitioning;
• specific country or project case studies.

In addition to these topics, we encourage the exploration of emerging technologies that can significantly enhance sustainability outcomes, including the following:

• the role of generative AI tools in optimizing construction processes;
• virtual reality (VR)/ Augmented Reality (AR) in planning and designing sustainable spaces;
• the integration of other advanced digital tools to promote efficiency, reduce waste, and ensure environmental stewardship in developing regions.

These innovations hold the potential to transform how we approach sustainable development on a global scale.

Dr. Igor Martek
Dr. Mehdi Amirkhani
Topic Editors