We're building a New York‑sized city every month. That's worrying for our climate

Every month, the world erects structures equivalent to an entire New York City, straining resources, increasing emissions. Researchers have identified a potential solution. Australia's National Housing Accord plans to build 1.2 million new, well-situated homes between 2024 and 2029. However, the global need is vastly greater—96,000 new and affordable homes daily.

Construction contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions; each square meter of office space releases around half a metric ton of emissions. In Australia, office buildings will emit 138 million metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2049, equivalent to 36 coal-fired power stations. While operating emissions from heating, lighting, and cooling will decrease as energy sources shift to renewables, embodied emissions—those from materials and construction—will remain constant.

Researchers compared these emissions with pathways that would limit warming to 1.5°C or 2.0°C, finding that office-related emissions exceed these targets by over 40%. To reduce embodied carbon, strategies such as refurbishing existing buildings and constructing smaller or fewer new structures are crucial. For instance, the Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney was extended and retrofitted, saving 8,000 tons of embodied carbon.

Australia should regulate embodied carbon emissions and incentivize refurbishments, as other countries have done. Addressing embodied carbon is vital to align with climate goals.