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Departments/Sustainability
By Dr Lee Bint, former BRANZ Sustainable Building Scientist, and Dr Casimir MacGregor, BRANZ Senior Social Scientist
Sustainable development goals
In the rst of a series of articles, Build looks at the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their importance to the New Zealand construction industry.
GREATER ECONOMIC and environmental uncertainty due to the global nancial crisis in 2008 and climate change mean that the UN’s sustainable development goals have increasing relevance.
What are the SDGs?
In 2015, the UN, with support from member countries, agreed to ‘end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all’ through the implementation of 17 SDGs.
New Zealand has made a commitment to meet these goals, and we are seeing more individuals and businesses talking about and implementing this framework. This includes such diverse organisa- tions as the New Zealand Stock Exchange and the New Zealand Government coalition.
The SDGs are a series of 17 goals with speci c targets and indicators. They set an ambitious challenge for all of humanity to work towards a more sustainable world – where ‘sustainable’ means long-term bene ts for people, the economy and environment. These goals are monitored by the UN to gauge progress and action across member countries.
Building industry has a role to play
The building industry is unique in that it is made up of a great variety of smaller sectors. Buildings are central to our lives. Research suggests many urban dwellers spend around 90% of their time indoors at home or at work. The World Green Building Council (WGBC) has recently released its vision of how it believes green buildings can contribute towards meeting the SDGs.
The WGBC believes that, ‘while the 17 goals are wide ranging, from ending hunger to promoting peaceful and inclusive societies ... there are several goals to which we believe green buildings can, and in fact already have, been contributing to in a signi cant way’.
What about in New Zealand?
In a short survey, BRANZ asked New Zealand construction and infrastructure industry leaders to tell us which ve SDGs were most important. They were, in order of priority:
● sustainable cities and communities
● climate action
● industry, innovation and infrastructure
● responsible consumption and production ● a ordable and clean energy.
What now?
Over the next year, BRANZ will be digging deeper into the top ve SDGs you told us are important to the building construction and infrastructure industry and sharing this information in Build. We will be providing greater insight on these SDGs to demonstrate where we need to be, our role and how the New Zealand construction and infrastructure industry could participate. We will also be tracking our indicators.
The goal is to help industry play its part in implementing SDGs for the bene t of all.
For more We are interested to hear how you’re tracking the SDGs in your organisation, company or trade. To connect or for more information, please contact [email protected].
92 — April/May 2018 — Build 165