The Geneva-based World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) says in its latest report that building professionals are “not well-informed” about the basic facts of energy use in buildings and this is the prime reason why more is not being done to improve efficiency. Architects, developers, engineers and contractors all require increased know-how and leadership to take action.

The WBCSD’s Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EEB) project commissioned interviews with 1,423 such professionals in eight countries – developed and developing – from late 2006 through to early 2007. Asked what contribution buildings made to total CO2 emissions, participants gave the answer, on average, of just 19% – less than half the correct answer. Responses from US professionals averaged 12%.

Asked “how much more do you think a certified sustainable building would cost to build relative to a normal building”, the average response was 17% more. In fact, the premium is usually under 5% in developed countries. The WBCSD suggests that such a lack of knowledge is not surprising, given that only 13% of the respondents had ever actually been engaged in green building projects.

Other barriers to action include the fragmentation of the buildings sector and the different motivations within it. For example, a developer erecting a building for sale may opt for lower cost with less efficient heating and air conditioning components in order to save the buyer and/or occupier money or time. Developers will change their approaches as end users increase their demand and policymakers regulate for more green buildings, says the organisation.

The EEB project summarised its findings in its first-year report on facts and trends in the building sector for six global markets representing two-thirds of the world’s energy demand and over 100 billion square metres of building floor space. Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Business realities and opportunities combines findings from existing research and stakeholder dialogues during hearings, workshops and forums with the survey results.

The project will use this baseline knowledge in scenario planning and modelling approaches to assess the actions needed to affect buildings’ energy consumption. It will then seek to gain commitments sector, including companies involved in the project itself.