1、Building Retrofits:Why upgrade our existing buildingsApril 2026A position paper on the rationale,benefits and actions needed to upgrade existing buildings and improve energy performance,cut greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience.worldgbc.orgIntroductionBuildings are central to our lives.

2、They are the spaces where we live,work,learn and heal.However,they are also a significant contributor to the global climate challenge.The buildings and construction sector accounts for approximately 34%of global energy-related CO2 emissions,driven by the energy used to power,heat,cool and construct

3、them.1 Meanwhile,more than 80%of the buildings that will exist in 2050 have already been built,with many of those currently inefficient,unhealthy and increasingly exposed to climate risks.2,3This presents a critical challenge:how to manage and adapt the existing built environment in a way that reduc

4、es emissions,protects communities and prepares for the rising risks associated with a rapidly changing climate.Retrofitting existing buildings is a central decarbonisation and resilience strategy across regions and building types,and approaches should be tailored to local economic,geographic,climati

5、c,infrastructural,technological and cultural contexts.Limiting embodied carbon requires action across the entire building life cycle,including near-zero emissions new construction and substantial upgrades to the existing building stock.However,policy and industry efforts remain disproportionately fo

6、cused on new buildings.In 2024,around 90 countries had mandatory energy regulations for buildings,but only 15 applied these to existing buildings.4 Although more complex to implement,retrofit standards are critical to securing long-term improvements in environmental and operational performance.5 Dra