A Skanska sponsored study claims that it will take six changes in the construction industry to enable a reduction of 60% in energy consumption by 2050.

“The study shows that there is a need for immediate action to significantly reduce energy consumption. This has to be done in a joint and coordinated global effort to achieve the necessary results. Skanska is supporting this and some of the actions that the report calls for are already on our agenda. We will now assess how we can intensify our efforts,” says Johan Karlström.

The study is based on extensive research and also included developing an advanced computer model for analyzing energy use for millions of existing and new buildings and projecting it out to 2050. Using these simulations, researchers have been able to identify the optimum mix of financial, technical, behavioral and policy options. The result is six principle recommendations for action:

1.Strengthen building codes and energy labeling for increased transparency.

2. Use subsidies and price signals to incentivize energy-efficient investments.

3. Encourage integrated design approaches and innovations.

4. Develop and use advanced technology to enable energy-saving behavior.

5. Develop workforce capacity for energy saving

6. Mobilize for an energy-aware culture.