
“TAKING THE PULSE OF SUSTAINABLE CONTRUCTION WORLDWIDE ”
URBAN THINKERS CAMPUS
Date: Monday, May 19th
Location: Saint-Gobain Tower,
12 Pl. de l’Iris, 92400 Courbevoie, France
Background: the Sustainable Construction Observatory
As the universal need for places to live faces increasingly urgent challenges – climate change, the critical need to protect finite resources, rapid urbanization and demographic shifts calling for adequate housing for all – Saint-Gobain has positioned itself as a leader of sustainable construction. Recognizing the transformative potential of a more sustainable construction, the company launched the Sustainable Construction Observatory in 2023 to advance knowledge and foster actionable change within the construction sector’s value chain.
At the heart of the Observatory's efforts is the Sustainable Construction Barometer, an international study that annually takes the pulse of sustainable construction worldwide, measuring progress and identifying key areas for action. Conducted among a wide range of stakeholders – construction professionals, students, local elected officials and association members – the study provides both global and local data on stakeholder commitment to sustainable construction, its key objectives, and priority actions to accelerate progress. The 2025 edition, covering 27 countries*, also includes, for the first time, perspectives from citizens.
*Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam
Join us on May 19 to discover the key learnings from the 2025 Sustainable Construction Barometer!
From the Global South to the Global North, from countries with vast aging building stock to those experiencing rapid urbanization, from highly regulated regions to those with minimal oversight, from experts to citizens, from professionals to students—how do we define sustainable construction and what are its priority objectives?
In the 2024 edition of the Sustainable Construction Barometer, stakeholders agreed that sustainable construction was no longer an option. Have we made any further progress?
Health, well-being, and resilience were also perceived as secondary concerns, underscoring the need to raise awareness of their critical role in sustainable construction. Have these perceptions shifted, especially at a time when extreme weather events are becoming more frequent worldwide? Does it differ across regions?
What about the decisive role played by public initiatives – financial aid, regulations, etc. – in accelerating sustainable construction? Is this still as underestimated as it was last year?
And what about future professionals worldwide? Do they feel informed and well-trained? What are their expectations?
Finally, what are the expectations of the general public? In 2025, for the first time, the Sustainable Construction Barometer surveyed citizens on what they think they know about sustainable construction and the actions they consider priorities.
Let’s explore these questions together during this Urban Thinkers Campus!
The Role of the Urban Thinkers Campus
As a flagship initiative of UN-Habitat, the Urban Thinkers Campus serves as a global platform to advance the New Urban Agenda by fostering dialogue, innovation, and collaboration. This event aligns perfectly with the findings of the Sustainable Construction Barometer, offering an opportunity for stakeholders to move beyond theoretical discussions and embrace actionable strategies that address the urgent need for sustainable urban development.
By bringing together experts, policymakers, academics, and community leaders, this Campus aims to:
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Explore the implications of the Barometer's findings for urban development.
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Identify best practices and scalable solutions for sustainable construction.
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Foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders to drive the transition toward resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities.
Together, through this shared sense of purpose and commitment, the Urban Thinkers Campus will serve as a catalyst for transforming insights into tangible outcomes, paving the way for a more sustainable and equitable urban future.
Proposed Agenda
Welcome and Opening Remarks:
Thierry Fournier, Senior Vice-President, CEO Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa Region, Saint-Gobain & Dyfed Aubrey, Chief, UN-Habitat Office for Europe and European Institutions
Presentation of the Barometer
Data and analysis provided by Occurrence-IFOP
Albane Jacquot, Deputy General Manager, Occurrence & Grégoire Hervé Bazin, Project Director
From data to action
An engaging panel to delve into the implications of the barometer findings and strategies
Pascal Eveillard, Group Director, Sustainable Construction, Saint-Gobain,
Vincent Kitio, Architect, Chief, Urban Energy Unit, UN-Habitat
Hélène Chartier, Director of Urban Planning and Design, C40 Cities.
Interactive Q&A Session
An open platform for the audience, both in-person and virtual, to ask questions and engage directly with the speakers.
Conclusion
Closing remarks summarizing the discussions and outlining the next steps for collaborative action.
The conference will be moderated by Charlotte Kan, journalist.
Social media
The event can be followed online via YouTube (@SaintGobainTV) or LinkedIn (@Saint-Gobain). The links will be sent to those who registered for the online version through the registration link. Online participants will have the opportunity to ask questions on both platforms.
Feel free to share your participation in the event and takeaways using the following hashtags: #ConstructionObservatory #UrbanThinkers #HousingMatters. On LinkedIn, please mention the following accounts: @Saint-Gobain, @UN-Habitat, @WorldUrbanCampaign by UN-Habitat.
Contact
For any questions regarding the event or the Sustainable Construction barometer, please send an email to sustainable-construction-observatory@saint-gobain.com