Convinced of the urgency of advancing the cause of sustainable construction in the face of climatic, demographic issues and the protection of resources, Saint-Gobain launched the Sustainable Construction Observatory in 2023.

This Observatory presents today the second edition of the Sustainable Construction Barometer1 , a study conducted by the CSA research institute, to understand the trends and levers to be activated to accelerate the development of sustainable construction.

In the words of Benoit Bazin, CEO of Saint-Gobain: 'The Sustainable Construction Barometer is intended to be a decision-making tool for all stakeholders in the sector, so that we can gain a better understanding of local sustainable construction issues and move from reflection to concrete action, in order to build a sustainable future for generations to come'.

A broader study to accelerate sustainable construction

Initiated in 2023 in 10 countries, the Sustainable Construction Barometer is now based on a quantitative survey of professionals, students, elected representatives and association members in 22 countries. Taking the pulse of sustainable construction, the Barometer takes the measures progress and identifies the fields of action on which to focus efforts to move this priority issue forward and position it as a strategic and essential response to major contemporary challenges: climate, resources and rapid urbanization accelerated by demographic pressure. This expanded study provides an even clearer picture of the local and, ultimately, global issues at stake.

Four key findings emerge from this new Barometer

Stable perceptions on sustainable construction with an unchanged environmental viewpoint. The health and well-being of building occupants is still poorly recognized and promoted; A shared sense of urgency, but which requires better awareness-raising and cooperation; More informed, trained and committed players; To be effective, sustainable construction deployment must be well adapted to local realities. 95% of respondents agree that the implementation of more sustainable construction is an important or priority issue.

This degree of urgency is clearly shared by all players, regardless of geographic region. At the same time, understanding of sustainable construction seems partial, often limited to environmental issues. Its definition is still largely associated with 'green construction': with a connation directly linked to the energy efficiency of buildings (42%) and to achieving carbon neutrality in construction (33%). Notions of resilience and occupant comfort are considered more secondary. The only exception is Turkey, where sustainable construction is perceived more in terms of the well-being of inhabitants, at 25% compared to 14% for the world average.

While awareness is high, it varies depending on the category of respondents: 87% of respondents said they were familiar with sustainable construction, but 20% of elected representatives surveyed said they had never heard of it.

Overall, awareness of sustainable construction is high: 87% of those questioned said they were familiar with sustainable construction. This figure is up by +5 points2 . 68% of respondents claim to be sufficiently informed. However, more needs to be done to educate elected representatives, 20% of whom said they had never heard of sustainable construction. And yet, the desire and commitment are there: the vast majority of players in all countries (87%) agree that we need to go further in terms of sustainable construction, even if the desire for the status quo is growing (9%, +4 points 2 ). Among the priority actions to be taken to accelerate the development of sustainable construction, raising public awareness is considered crucial, as is the issue of perceived cost, and the cooperation of all stakeholders. On the other hand, the role of public initiatives (standards, regulations, subsidies), though fundamental, remains underestimated. Lastly, energy renovation appears to be a priority in countries with a well-established building stock, like France, compared to countries that prioritize new-build programs to house a growing population, such as Canada, Latin America and Asia 92% of construction professionals believe that sustainable construction will make up all or part of their business within the next 5 years.

Architects and engineering firms are at the top of the list of players most often cited for advancing sustainable construction. While building design professionals are credited with 29% of first-intention responses, elected representatives and public institutions follow close behind, with 21% and 20% respectively. On a positive note, professionals feel strongly committed to sustainable construction: 85% say they carry out all or part of their business in this area, and 92% expect to do so within the next five years.

Lack of commitment to sustainable construction is perceived as a discriminating factor. Many professionals (62%, +3 points2 ) consider their suppliers' commitment to sustainable construction as a selection criterion. As far as elected representatives are concerned, the sustainable dimension is a decisive criterion for awarding public contracts: almost 9 out of 10 consider this criterion to be important. Finally, among students who perceive the implementation of more sustainable constructions as a priority, 45% of them say they would not accept a job offer from a company that was not committed to sustainable construction.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group's commitment is guided by its purpose 'MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME'.

Contact:

Patricia Marie

Tel: (+33) 1 88 54 26 83

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