Carbon-dioxide emissions from building construction and operations hit an all-time high in 2021, according to the most recent data, a sign that the push to decarbonize the industry by 2050 may be slipping out of reach.

Energy-related emissions from the operation of buildings reached 10 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent, 5% higher than 2020 levels and 2% more than the pre-pandemic peak in 2019, according to data compiled by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction. Operational energy demand in buildings for heating, cooling, lighting and equipment rose about 4% from 2020 levels, the group said.

While investments in building energy efficiency increased 16% last year to $237 billion, the growth in floor space outpaced efficiency efforts. As a result, “the gap between the climate performance of the sector and the 2050 decarbonization pathway is widening,” the report concluded.

Buildings were the source of 37% of global CO2 emissions in 2021, which includes emissions derived from the production of concrete, steel, glass and other building materials. Reducing the sector’s emissions has therefore become vital to the larger goal of decarbonizing the global economy.

Construction activities in most major economies returned last year to pre-pandemic levels and energy use rose as offices reopened. More emerging economies also increased their use of fossil fuels in buildings. That caused energy demand for buildings to climb about 4% from 2020 levels, the largest advance over the past decade, GlobalABC said.

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