Taking a data-driven approach to sustainable development
The built environment accounts for approximately 40% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually, with 13% coming from embodied carbon—the carbon impact from the materials and transportation of the building process itself. Nancy Gillis, from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), emphasizes the urgency of reducing these emissions to meet the Paris Agreement goals. She underscores that decarbonizing the built environment is not just ethically imperative but also a way to be more competitive and cost-effective. Highlighting the power of procurement and collaboration between teams, Gillis discusses the critical role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies in assessing and reducing embodied carbon. Despite various existing standards, we lack a universal approach to measuring Whole Life Carbon, leading to inconsistencies in carbon assessments. Gillis calls for greater industry transparency and alignment, stressing that carbon has a tangible cost, and understanding Whole Life Carbon assessment is essential for to ensure a sustainable AECO industry.
About the speaker
Nancy Gillis is the Senior Director for Industrial Pathways Transformation at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), focused on accelerating the decarbonization, equality and nature positivity of the Mobility, Energy and the Built Environment sectors. She previously led the First Movers Coalition, the global demand-side initiative for innovative decarbonization technology, at the World Economic Forum (WEF). She was the CEO of the Global Electronics Council (GEC) and the Global Lead for Resilient and Responsible Supply Chains at Ernst & Young (EY). During the Obama Administration, Nancy was the Director of the Federal Supply Chain Office at the General Services Administration (GSA).