At COP30, Saint-Gobain sets out priority actions to accelerate sustainable construction
Because the built environment stands at the crossroads of climate transition and social transformation, Saint-Gobain presents its Action Paper on sustainable construction, a collaborative roadmap developed through the Group’s Sustainable Construction Observatory. Launched during COP30, this document calls for concrete and implementable actions to scale sustainable construction across all regions around the world.
For Benoit Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain, “A pioneer in its ambition to bring together all stakeholders in sustainable construction, the Observatory has created a forum for dialogue and collaboration across the sector. At a time when COP30 reminds us of the urgency to act and stay aligned with our decarbonization goals, it is taking a new step forward by presenting its Action Paper on sustainable construction to accelerate the transition of the construction industry. Because only through collective intelligence and action can we rise to the scale of the challenge, transforming shared thinking into measurable impact and shaping a more sustainable built environment for generations to come.”
Six transformative issues, thirteen priority actions
The Action Paper on sustainable construction identifies six major transformative issues with the greatest potential to drive systemic change across the construction value chain:
From these, thirteen priority actions were co-designed with international experts, public authorities, and private sector leaders, that go from making resilience a mandatory criterion in tenders or developing localized construction codes for emerging economies. They form a concrete, actionable foundation to align policies, guide investment, and accelerate implementation, from global frameworks to local solutions.
A collaborative journey anchored in collective intelligence
The process unfolded in three phases:
A collaborative workshop held during Climate Week NYC brought together 35 leaders from construction, policy, finance, insurance, and civil society to define 13 priority actions.
From intention to implementation: paving the way beyond COP30
Presented at COP30 within the Buildings and Cooling Pavilion of the Global Alliance for Buildings and the Cool Coalition on November 12, the Action Paper aligns with the global momentum to accelerate the transformation of the built environment.
It complements initiatives such as the Buildings Breakthrough, which aims to make near-zero emission and resilient buildings the new normal by 2030.
By bridging policy frameworks, sector transformation, and local implementation, the Action Paper on sustainable construction adopts a broad and systemic perspective — connecting environmental imperatives with economic, social, and human dimensions. It demonstrates how sustainable construction can reconcile climate goals with well-being, value creation, and local realities, paving the way for context-driven implementation across regions.
