Challenges and Next Steps

Excellent analytical tools, frameworks and studies are emerging to help identify key levers and practices for decarbonisation in the building sector. However, these must be supported by appropriate policy, access to quality data, and transparent audits conducted by qualified third-party reviewers. In an effort to increase the transparency of materials, the Design for Freedom Toolkit (Grace Farms Foundation 2022) highlights dozens of relevant certifications, labels and standards that include fair labour audits.
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Notably, in the informal sector, stakeholders typically have neither the access to data nor the means to conduct such analyses. However, feedback included in utility bills and other mechanisms can continue to add life-cycle information on the impact of materials on operational energy expenditures, including design tips for material retrofits to reduce costs. This information can then be fed into district and even urban models showing comparisons across households and building types.
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This report outlines the most advanced methods in decarbonisation analysis and practices in the formal realm, while suggesting potential pathways for cooperation and exchange between informal and formal construction practices.