Global building materials form a market estimated at 1.3 trillion dollars with projections reaching 1.8 trillion dollars. Buildings account for roughly 35 percent of global energy related carbon emissions. The European Union market for construction chemicals reached 16.4 billion euros.
Key Takeaways
- $1.3 trillion is the estimated global market for building materials in 2024, projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2029
- 3.7% was the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the global building materials market during 2020–2027
- €16.4 billion was the EU market value for building construction chemicals in 2023
- In 2024, average U.S. cement plant utilization was about 76% (industry production statistics)
- In 2023, U.S. gypsum board shipments were 14.2 billion square feet (USGS)
- A 2019 peer-reviewed meta-analysis found that reflective roofing can reduce roof surface temperatures by about 10–30°C depending on climate and design (review synthesis)
- 83% of U.S. consumers who plan to renovate say they want eco-friendly products (survey fielded in 2023)
- The IEA estimates buildings are responsible for about 35% of global energy-related CO2 emissions (IEA estimate)
- In 2020, steel production accounted for about 7–9% of global CO2 emissions (IEA/World Steel Association referenced estimates)
- In 2023, construction and building materials were the 3rd largest source category for global industrial greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC estimate category accounting)
- About 39% of global energy-related CO2 emissions are linked to buildings and construction according to IEA/UNEP aligned estimates (IEA context)
- The U.S. PPI for 'Flat glass' rose by 2.2% in May 2024 (month-over-month)
- In 2022, global value-added for building products supply chains increased by 6.2% (OECD estimate)
- In 2023, U.S. retail cement prices were $14.30 per 94-lb bag on average (Bureau of Labor Statistics retail price series)
- 48% of architects reported specifying low-carbon concrete at least sometimes in the last project (2023 survey)
Building materials are booming toward 2029, while low carbon choices and energy efficiency keep accelerating.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
$1.3 trillion is the estimated global market for building materials in 2024, projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2029
02
3.7% was the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the global building materials market during 2020–2027
03
€16.4 billion was the EU market value for building construction chemicals in 2023
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, the global building materials market is poised to grow from $1.3 trillion in 2024 to $1.8 trillion by 2029 at a 3.7% CAGR, underscoring steady expansion alongside a substantial €16.4 billion EU market for construction chemicals in 2023.
02 · Category
Performance Metrics6 stats
01
In 2024, average U.S. cement plant utilization was about 76% (industry production statistics)
02
In 2023, U.S. gypsum board shipments were 14.2 billion square feet (USGS)
03
A 2019 peer-reviewed meta-analysis found that reflective roofing can reduce roof surface temperatures by about 10–30°C depending on climate and design (review synthesis)
04
A 2020 peer-reviewed study reported that green roofs can reduce stormwater runoff by up to 60% under typical conditions (review/empirical findings)
05
In 2021, the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory reported that mass timber can store about 1 tonne of CO2 per 2.5 cubic meters of solid wood used (LCA findings in report)
06
A 2022 peer-reviewed paper found that adding mineral admixtures (e.g., slag) reduced cement CO2-equivalent by 30–60% in typical mix scenarios (study results)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance metrics show measurable progress in lower-impact building materials, with cement and roofing technologies standing out as cement CO2-equivalent can drop 30 to 60 percent with mineral admixtures and reflective roofs can cut roof surface temperatures by about 10 to 30°C.
03 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
83% of U.S. consumers who plan to renovate say they want eco-friendly products (survey fielded in 2023)
02
The IEA estimates buildings are responsible for about 35% of global energy-related CO2 emissions (IEA estimate)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In today’s industry trends for building products, sustainability is becoming a must have as 83% of U.S. consumers planning renovations say they want eco friendly products, while the IEA links buildings to about 35% of global energy related CO2 emissions.
More related reading
04 · Category
Sustainability3 stats
01
In 2020, steel production accounted for about 7–9% of global CO2 emissions (IEA/World Steel Association referenced estimates)
02
In 2023, construction and building materials were the 3rd largest source category for global industrial greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC estimate category accounting)
03
About 39% of global energy-related CO2 emissions are linked to buildings and construction according to IEA/UNEP aligned estimates (IEA context)
Interpretation
Sustainability Interpretation
Sustainability efforts are urgent because buildings and construction drive about 39% of global energy related CO2 emissions while construction and building materials are the third largest industrial greenhouse gas source, and even steel, a core material for these sectors, contributes roughly 7 to 9% of global CO2 emissions.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis5 stats
01
The U.S. PPI for 'Flat glass' rose by 2.2% in May 2024 (month-over-month)
02
In 2022, global value-added for building products supply chains increased by 6.2% (OECD estimate)
03
In 2023, U.S. retail cement prices were $14.30per 94-lb bag on average (Bureau of Labor Statistics retail price series)
04
In 2023, U.S. copper wire prices increased by 11.3% year-over-year (PPI)
05
In 2023, the average U.S. construction labor cost per hour in buildings was $37.20(BLS)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For cost analysis, the key signal is that construction inputs are still moving higher and staying expensive, with 2023 showing U.S. copper wire up 11.3% year over year and retail cement averaging $14.30 per 94 lb bag while labor in buildings averaged $37.20 per hour.
06 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
48% of architects reported specifying low-carbon concrete at least sometimes in the last project (2023 survey)
02
In 2023, 63% of AEC professionals reported using energy simulation tools (e.g., EnergyPlus, DesignBuilder) on at least some projects
03
As of 2024, the number of Energy Star certified commercial building products exceeded 8,000 (count from Energy Star)
04
As of 2024, there were over 100,000 LEED-certified projects worldwide (USGBC count)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
The User Adoption story is clear and momentum building as 48% of architects specified low carbon concrete at least sometimes, 63% of AEC professionals used energy simulation tools in 2023, and by 2024 over 8,000 Energy Star certified commercial building products and more than 100,000 LEED certified projects worldwide show that sustainable building practices are increasingly becoming mainstream choices.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Building Products Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/building-products-industry-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Building Products Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/building-products-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Building Products Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/building-products-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
23 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)