Cities & Buildings
"Cities are 3% of the land, 75% of emissions — and where the fight is won."
Buildings and urban energy use drive most heat-trapping emissions. Retrofits, clean heat, walkable design and cool surfaces cut bills, save lives during heatwaves and unlock the largest jobs pipeline in the transition.
75%
of global emissions from cities
UN-Habitat
37%
of energy emissions from buildings
IEA
2.5B
new urban residents by 2050
UN DESA
Milestones we're chasing
Halve building emissions
All new buildings net-zero-ready; retrofit rate ×3.
Cool 1B people
Passive cooling and green infrastructure in heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.
Net-zero building stock
Existing buildings deeply retrofitted or replaced with clean-material construction.
Levers that move the needle
Take an action →Electrify heating & cooking
Heat pumps are 3–5× more efficient than gas boilers.
Cool roofs & urban canopy
Reflective roofs and 30% tree cover cut heat deaths by ~40%.
Zero-carbon building codes
Codes lock in emissions for 50+ years — updating them is high leverage.
Green mortgages & retrofits
De-risk deep retrofits for renters and low-income owners.
Signals of progress
- ↗Heat-pump sales overtook gas boilers in Europe
- ↗600+ cities on Race to Zero
Warning lights
- ↘Cement & steel emissions still rising
- ↘Urban heat-island deaths accelerating
Live actions in this area
Time-bound campaigns you can join, sign, fund or lead right now.
No live actions in this area yet.
Organizations working here
NGOs, startups, cities, research labs and funders driving this area forward.
No organizations listed for this scope yet — be the first.
Your contribution
Small and big actions compound into short- and long-term impact. Find your seat — as an individual, a community, or an industry player.
What one person, household or citizen can do this week.
Install a smart thermostat
Households · 1 hour
Neighborhoods, restaurants, schools and cities acting together.
Adopt a cool-roof ordinance
Cities · 1 council term
Companies, investors, funders and governments moving markets and policy.
Publish an operational carbon plan
Real estate · 1 quarter
Resources & tools
Playbook
- C40 knowledge hub
Data
- Global ABC buildings tracker
Guide
- Cool Roofs Council
Get involved in Cities & Buildings
Take a time-bound action, register your organization or start a collaboration in this area.