Gitnux/Report 2026

Sustainable Construction Industry Statistics

308Statistics
109Sources
12Sections
1Visuals
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Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 39 days

01 Industry overview

The sustainable construction industry at a glance

Buildings and construction now account for around 37% of global CO₂ emissions, while the sector employs roughly 9% of the world’s workforce and is expanding its use of efficiency, renewable energy and low-carbon materials.

37%[95]
Global CO₂ emissions, 2025–26
9%[21]
Global workforce employed, 2025–26
$705.8B[96]
Commercial green construction, 2024
10.6%[96]
Commercial green construction CAGR, 2025–30
Market size
The global commercial green construction market was valued at $705.8 billion in 2024. Grand View Research projects it to reach $859.6 billion in 2026 and $1.289 trillion by 2030.[96]
Forecast & CAGR
Commercial green construction is forecast to grow at a 10.6% compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2030. The broader buildings and construction sector is also expanding physically: global building floor area reached 273 billion square metres in 2024, up 1.7% in one year.[96][21]
Market share & regions
The 2024 global green, social and sustainability bond and sustainability-linked-loan market reached $6.9 trillion. Europe accounted for 45% of issuance, followed by Asia-Pacific at 26% and North America at 16%; these financing shares indicate where sustainable-building capital is concentrated, rather than construction-market revenue shares.[27]
Segmentation
Residential buildings represent 77% of global building floor area and approximately 70% of buildings’ energy demand. Sustainable construction therefore spans new residential and commercial buildings, renovation, demolition, civil engineering, low-carbon materials and building operations.[21][95]
Pricing
U.S. average mill prices for portland and blended cement were estimated at $160 per metric ton in 2025, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The figure illustrates the cost base for a major construction material, but it is not a global sustainable-construction price index.[97]
Trends, drivers & challenges
The sector’s main drivers are energy efficiency, renewable-energy adoption, building-code tightening, green finance and demand for low-carbon materials. Progress remains insufficient: the 2024–25 Global Status Report found that buildings accounted for 32% of global energy demand and 34% of CO₂ emissions in 2023, while sector emissions were still 5% above 2015 levels.[98]
Consumer behavior & competition
In a 2025 RICS survey of 3,500 members across 36 countries, 86% said green-building certification was important to investors and 94% said occupiers prioritised indoor environmental quality. Reported demand growth for green buildings was strongest in the Middle East and Africa at +52, followed by the UK at +43 and Europe at +39.[2]
M&A
Sustainable-materials M&A remained active in 2025. CRH agreed to acquire Eco Material Technologies for $2.1 billion, targeting supplementary cementitious materials, while Holcim agreed to acquire Xella, whose projected 2025 net sales were approximately €1 billion and which operates in 21 European markets.[99][23]
Regulation
The EU Construction Products Regulation 2024/3110 entered into force on January 7, 2025, with its main provisions applying from January 8, 2026. It introduces environmental-characteristic declarations based on life-cycle assessment and provides for digital product passports covering construction-product information across the life cycle.[70]
Latest news
The latest UNEP and GlobalABC Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026 reports that the sector represents 11–13% of global GDP, employs roughly 9% of the global workforce and is responsible for around 37% of global CO₂ emissions. It also reports that green-building certifications have nearly tripled worldwide since 2015, although emissions progress remains too slow for Paris-aligned pathways.[95][21]
report visual · Comparison

LEED-certified building space per capita (United States)

Massachusetts leads with 5.0 square feet per resident.

Massachusetts5.0 square feet per resident
Illinois4.0 square feet per resident
New York3.4 square feet per resident
Washington3.0 square feet per resident
Maryland2.8 square feet per resident
California2.6 square feet per resident
source-verifiedusgbc.org

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Sustainable Construction Industry

The leading companies in the sustainable construction industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Saint-Gobain leads Gitnux's 2026 sustainable construction ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with operating margin 11.4%, used in light and sustainable construction materials. CRH is the runner-up at 9.2, driven by $15.7 billion from enhanced-sustainability-attribute products in 2025.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in construction materials

    Saint-Gobain

    FR

    Ranked #1 · 9.3 · Construction materials

    Why we picked it: Its light and sustainable construction-material segment links to measured avoided emissions via solutions in 2024.

    See in ranking ↓Visit saint-gobain.com ↗

  2. Leader in low-carbon cement

    Heidelberg Materials

    DE

    Ranked #3 · 9.0 · Low-carbon cement

    Why we picked it: Its cement and low-carbon concrete segment is tied to carbon-captured near-zero cement delivery in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit heidelbergmaterials.com ↗

  3. Leader in construction chemicals

    Sika

    CH

    Ranked #5 · 8.6 · Construction chemicals

    Why we picked it: Its construction-chemicals systems cover multiple building functions aligned to sustainable-material selection needs.

    See in ranking ↓Visit sika.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the sustainable construction industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Saint-Gobain

Construction materials · FR

9.3
2

CRH

Construction materials · IE

9.2
3

Heidelberg Materials

Low-carbon cement · DE

9.0
4

Holcim

Low-carbon cement · CH

8.8
5

Sika

Construction chemicals · CH

8.6
6

Barratt Redrow

Sustainable residential construction, United Kingdom · GB

8.4
7

James Hardie

Fiber-cement siding and resilient exterior products · IE

8.3
8

Etex

Light construction, plasterboard and fiber-cement systems · BE

8.1
9

Interface

Low-carbon modular carpet and resilient flooring · US

8.1
10

Owens Corning

Insulation, roofing and sustainable building products · US

8.0

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the sustainable construction industry. In Sustainable Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainable-construction-industry-statistics/#top-companies

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption remains uneven: 45% of organisations reported no AI implementation in 2025, while 41% used AI to optimise energy consumption and efficiency.

AI in the sustainable construction industry

  • 41% of construction companies used AI to optimise energy consumption and efficiency in 2025.[1]
  • 44% of construction companies used AI to analyse and improve supply-chain sustainability in 2025.[1]
  • 1.5% of global construction respondents reported AI use across multiple processes in 2025.[2]
  • 36% of global construction professionals rated AI as having high positive significance for progress monitoring in 2025.[2]
  • 45% of global construction organisations reported no AI implementation in 2025.[2]
  • 30% of global construction professionals rated AI as having high positive significance for resource optimisation in 2025.[2]

Automation in the sustainable construction industry

  • 19.2% of surveyed construction organisations used robotics on several projects in 2024.[3]
  • 30% of surveyed engineering and construction businesses were not using robotics and automated systems and had no implementation plans in 2024.[4]
  • 22% of surveyed engineering and construction businesses were already using robotics and automated systems in 2024.[4]
  • 39% of surveyed engineering and construction businesses planned to implement robotics and automated systems in 2024.[4]
  • 7.7% of surveyed construction organisations used robotics on most projects in 2024.[3]
  • 29% was the reported implementation rate for Dusty Robotics among surveyed construction technology users in 2024.[3]

Digital Transformation in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 933 engineering and construction businesses surveyed, 47% were already using data analytics in 2024.[4]
  • Across Australia’s building and construction industry, 64% of organisations invested in data and digitalisation during the 12 months before the 2025 survey.[5]
  • Among 933 engineering and construction businesses surveyed, 38% were already using building information modelling in 2024.[4]
  • Among 933 engineering and construction businesses surveyed, 41% were already using mobile apps in 2024.[4]

Technology Adoption in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among ICI contractors surveyed in 2024, 35% reported experience using advanced building materials.[6]
  • Among ICI contractors surveyed in 2024, 43% reported experience using jobsite data-collection applications.[6]
  • Among ICI contractors surveyed in 2024, 44% reported experience using building information modelling.[6]
  • Among ICI contractors surveyed in 2024, 11% reported experience using artificial intelligence.[6]

Cloud Computing in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among capital-projects and infrastructure organisations surveyed globally, 2% neither used cloud technology nor planned to use it within 12 months in 2025.[7]
  • Across capital-projects and infrastructure organisations surveyed globally, 89% were currently using cloud technology in 2025.[7]
  • Among 933 engineering and construction businesses surveyed, 43% were already using construction-management cloud software in 2024.[4]
  • Across capital-projects and infrastructure organisations surveyed globally, 9% planned to adopt cloud technology within the next 12 months in 2025.[7]

Big Data in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across real estate investors, 60% report that a formal data initiative is underway at their firm, based on an EY survey of more than 50 executives.[8]
  • Across real estate companies, 13% have access to real-time business intelligence and analytics, according to the 2024 commercial real estate outlook.[9]
  • Across construction businesses, 33% analyze financial data and use it to inform business decisions, while 86% capture it, in 2023.[1]
  • Across capital-projects and infrastructure organisations surveyed globally, 30% planned to adopt big data and Internet-of-Things technologies within 12 months in 2025.[7]
  • Across global real estate owners and investors, 61% remain dependent on legacy technology infrastructures, according to Deloitte’s 2024 outlook survey.[9]
  • Across construction businesses, the average company captures 11 of 13 data types but analyzes only 8, according to a 2023 survey.[1]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Sustainability data workflows show gaps between capture and use: construction businesses capture 11 of 13 data types on average but analyze only 8.

Business intelligence in the sustainable construction industry

  • 14% of respondents ranked business intelligence as their first-choice future technology for managing sustainability data in 2023.[10]
  • 28% of surveyed companies used custom applications to manage sustainability data in 2023.[10]
  • 21% of surveyed companies used internet-of-things sensors to manage sustainability data in 2023.[10]
  • 5% of respondents ranked business intelligence as their third-choice future technology for managing sustainability data in 2023.[10]
  • 16% of mid-sized industrial companies with $100 million to $1 billion in annual revenue used business intelligence for sustainability data in 2023.[10]
  • 15% of surveyed companies used machine learning or artificial intelligence to manage sustainability data in 2023.[10]

Data analytics in the sustainable construction industry

  • 9.9% of European construction SMEs had adopted artificial intelligence by 2023.[11]
  • 34% of European construction companies in the surveyed ecosystem used analytical software in 2022.[11]
  • 20% of respondents ranked data analytics as their first-choice future technology for managing sustainability data in 2023.[10]
  • 89% of European construction businesses were classified as beginner or emerging in data capabilities in the 2023 survey.[12]
  • 13% of European construction SMEs had adopted big data and related data analytics by 2023.[11]
  • 12.6% of European construction SMEs had adopted internet-of-things technology by 2023.[11]

Data Quality in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across construction professionals, 76% said departments frequently or occasionally work from different systems and data sources in a 2026 survey.[13]
  • Across UK housing providers, only 23% were confident in tenant or customer data in 2022, the lowest confidence level among the data categories surveyed.[14]
  • Across institutional real estate, data quality received an average self-rating of 6.2 out of 10 in 2026, based on 72 professionals across 38 firms.[15]
  • Across UK housing providers, 48% were totally confident in their real-estate asset data in 2022, compared with 34% confident in management and maintenance data.[14]
  • Across construction professionals, 72% said they spend more than three hours gathering and preparing data before it is ready for analysis in a 2026 survey.[13]
  • Across construction companies, 38% rated their ability to share and use data with internal and external collaborators as strong in the report’s construction sample.[16]

Data Governance in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across US construction owners, 45% required project teams to define a data governance plan in the 2024–2025 survey period.[17]
  • Across US construction owners, 45% did not provide regular data training in the 2024–2025 survey period, limiting governance capability and consistent data use.[17]
  • Across construction businesses, 10% reported in 2023 that they did not have a well-defined data governance policy.[12]
  • Across institutional real estate, governance readiness for AI received an average self-rating of 5.1 out of 10 in 2026, based on 72 professionals across 38 firms.[15]
  • Across US construction owners, 11% required project teams to use data standards on all projects in the 2024–2025 survey period.[17]
  • Across US construction owners requiring data governance plans, 19% required them on a majority of projects in the 2024–2025 survey period.[17]

KPIs in the sustainable construction industry

  • 32% of sustainable-construction professionals routinely assessed carbon footprints globally in 2026.[18]
  • 34% of construction-material records contained enough data to calculate product-stage carbon emissions in the United States.[19]
  • 63% of construction-waste removal documents contained enough data to contribute to construction-process carbon-emissions calculations in the United States.[19]
  • 60% of construction professionals used digital tools for energy and water demand assessment in 2025.[20]
  • 78% of documented construction-material delivery movements had sufficient data to calculate construction-stage transport carbon emissions in the United States.[19]
  • 50% of construction professionals used digital tools for lifecycle analysis in 2025.[20]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Demand growth sits alongside climate targets. Building floor area reached 273 billion square metres in 2024, while buildings and construction emissions increased 6.5% over the decade to 2024.

Growth in the sustainable construction industry

  • 1.7% was the growth in global building floor area in 2024, reaching 273 billion square metres worldwide.[21]
  • 6.5% was the increase in building-sector emissions over the decade to 2024.[21]
  • More than 6,000 LEED-certified commercial projects worldwide represented 1.36 billion gross square feet in 2023.[22]
  • 36% of Holcim’s total net sales came from advanced branded solutions in 2024, compared with 30% in 2023.[23]
  • More than 46,000 residential projects had been LEED-certified globally by 2024.[22]
  • 20% was the increase in global building floor area over the decade to 2024.[21]

Differentiation in the sustainable construction industry

  • 51 million gross square feet was the LEED-certified space added across 102 Illinois projects in 2024.[22]
  • 19.1% was Holcim’s recurring EBIT margin in 2024 after a 150-basis-point increase.[23]
  • 4.02 square feet per capita was Illinois’ LEED-certified commercial space added in 2024.[22]
  • 34 million square feet was the LEED-certified space added across 132 Massachusetts projects in 2024.[22]
  • 3.44 square feet per capita was New York’s LEED-certified commercial space added in 2024.[22]
  • 17.6 million tonnes of emissions were estimated to have been avoided through Saint-Gobain solutions in 2024.[24]

Mergers and acquisitions in the sustainable construction industry

  • 100 synergistic acquisitions had been completed by Holcim since 2018.[23]
  • 60% of AEC M&A activity in 2023 was represented by the nine most acquisitive firms, according to CLA Meridian.[25]
  • A$2.7 billion was CSR Limited’s total revenue before Saint-Gobain’s acquisition agreement in 2024.[18]
  • 10 million tons was Holcim’s 2024 target for recycling construction-demolition materials.[23]
  • 10% of AEC M&A activity in 2023 was represented by the nine most acquisitive firms, according to CLA Meridian.[25]
  • 2,500 employees worked for CSR Limited before Saint-Gobain’s 2024 acquisition agreement.[18]

Strategic partnerships in the sustainable construction industry

  • 8.4 million tons of construction-demolition materials were recycled by Holcim before its partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.[23]
  • 18% was the reduction in overall energy costs achieved at Saint-Gobain’s APAC Research Center through Akila’s monitoring and HVAC optimization project.[26]
  • 47,000 members were represented by national Green Building Councils in 2023–2024.[27]
  • 74 national Green Building Councils participated in the WorldGBC network in 2023–2024.[27]
  • 33% was the 2030 scope 1 and 2 carbon-reduction target under the Saint-Gobain–Akila partnership in Asia-Pacific.[26]
  • 80% of Green Building Councils reported increasing industry and business uptake of sustainable-building principles in 2023–2024.[27]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce constraints affect delivery. In 2024, 57% of U.S. construction firms said applicants lacked essential skills or appropriate licenses.

Hiring in the sustainable construction industry

  • 47% of U.S. electrification contractors reported great difficulty finding qualified professionals in 2024.[28]
  • 57% of U.S. construction firms said applicants lacked essential skills or appropriate licenses in 2025.[29]
  • 10% of U.S. construction firms expected headcount to decrease in 2025.[29]
  • 55% of U.S. construction firms expected hiring hourly craft workers to remain difficult or become harder in 2025.[29]
  • 12% of U.S. construction firms expected hiring hourly craft workers to become easier or remain easy in 2025.[29]

Employee retention in the sustainable construction industry

  • 66% of New York building-decarbonization contractors said access to trained talent would make them more willing to take on additional staff.[30]
  • 97% was the 2020 annual turnover rate for building-finishing contractors in the Greater Portland region.[31]
  • 98% was the 2020 annual turnover rate for other heavy and civil engineering construction in the Greater Portland region.[31]
  • 82% was the 2020 annual turnover rate for other specialty-trade contractors in the Greater Portland region.[31]
  • 60% was the 2020 annual turnover rate for building-equipment contractors in the Greater Portland region.[31]

Remote Work in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • In 2024, 23.7% of finance, insurance and real-estate positions were fully remote in the U.S., according to employers surveyed by NACE.[32]
  • In January 2024, 33.63% of U.S. real-estate wage and salary employees worked from home, based on the Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes.[33]
  • In 2024, 2.7% of construction positions were fully remote in the U.S., according to employers surveyed by NACE.[32]
  • About 9% of U.S. construction workers worked remotely at least sometimes during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[34]

Hybrid Work in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Forty-two percent of real-estate investment managers expected employees to be in the office four days per week within six to 12 months, according to a 2025 NAREIM survey.[15]
  • In 2024, 15.0% of construction positions were fully hybrid in the U.S., according to employers surveyed by NACE.[32]
  • In 2024, 55.8% of finance, insurance and real-estate positions were fully hybrid in the U.S., according to employers surveyed by NACE.[32]
  • In 2024, 43% of surveyed real-estate executives identified flexible workday schedules as a leading talent-acquisition and retention action.[9]

Upskilling in the sustainable construction industry

  • 51% of New York building-decarbonization contractors said on-the-job-training funding would make them more willing to take on additional staff.[30]
  • 40% of U.S. electrification contractors planned to expand into new products or markets in the near term, increasing demand for new skills.[28]
  • 23% of New York building-decarbonization contractors cited human-resources or administrative assistance as a useful workforce-growth resource.[30]
  • More than 25% of EU construction workers will require upskilling for digitalisation and more sustainable construction methods by 2035.[35]
  • About 7 million job openings are expected in the EU construction sector by 2035 as the green and digital transitions accelerate.[35]

Employee Engagement in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across construction and heavy industry, employees scored 8.00 out of 10 for engagement in the 2026 benchmark.[36]
  • Fifty-nine percent of construction employers lacked a strategy to improve employee engagement in the 2018 U.S. construction benefits benchmarking survey.[37]
  • Across real estate organizations represented in Culture Amp’s benchmark, 73% of employees were engaged based on data collected from July 2025 through June 2026.[38]
  • Across construction and heavy industry, Rewards received the lowest reported driver score at 6.95 out of 10 in 2026.[36]
  • Construction employees scored 4.20 out of 5 on engagement-related measures in 2024, up from 3.92 in 2022, in WebMD Health Services’ survey of 3,653 workers.[39]

DEI in the sustainable construction industry

  • 340 women completed construction apprenticeships in the United Kingdom in 2018.[40]
  • 61% of the U.S. construction workforce was non-Hispanic white men in 2020, down from 71% in 2003.[41]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Certification and indoor environmental quality appear as purchase drivers. In a 2025 RICS survey, 86% said green-building certification was important to investors.

Customer experience in the sustainable construction industry

  • 67% of stakeholders across 30 countries said they understood exactly what sustainable construction means in 2026.[18]
  • 19% of citizens across 30 countries included occupant health and well-being in their definition of sustainable construction in 2026.[18]
  • 51% of U.S. stakeholders believed sustainable construction created more value than traditional construction in 2026.[42]
  • 39% of citizens across 30 countries said they understood exactly what sustainable construction means in 2026.[18]
  • 87% of people surveyed across 22 countries said they were familiar with the concept of sustainable construction in 2024.[18]

Customer retention in the sustainable construction industry

  • Nearly 80% of U.S. electrification contractors reported repeat-customer activity as the leading rate for broader electrical work in 2026.[43]
  • 83% of AEC companies in the surveyed EMEA markets cited customer retention as a key reason for embracing sustainability in 2022.[44]
  • 84% of sustainable-focused AEC companies in the Nordics, Benelux and UK and Ireland cited customer expectations as a reason for embracing sustainability in 2021.[45]
  • 29% of U.S. electrification contractors said EV-charger customers returned often for more work in 2026.[43]
  • 86% of sustainable-focused AEC companies in the Nordics, Benelux and UK and Ireland cited customer retention as a reason for embracing sustainability in 2021.[45]

Customer acquisition in the sustainable construction industry

  • 26% of U.S. solar installers used purchased leads frequently for customer acquisition in 2023.[46]
  • 14% of U.S. solar installers used events frequently for customer acquisition in 2023.[46]
  • 39% of U.S. solar installers used direct sales and advertising frequently for customer acquisition in 2023.[46]
  • 94% of U.S. clean-energy contractors expected heat-pump installations to grow over the following three years in 2024.[43]
  • 15% of U.S. solar installers used partnerships frequently for customer acquisition in 2023.[46]

Customer loyalty in the sustainable construction industry

  • 45% of U.S. electrification contractors said EV-charger customers returned sometimes for additional work in 2026.[43]
  • 187 owners of NGBS Green Certified homes participated in a U.S. customer-satisfaction study covering homes purchased or built within the prior three years.[47]
  • 29% of U.S. electrification contractors said EV-charger customers returned often for additional work in 2026.[43]
  • Nearly 80% was the repeat-customer rate for broader electrical work among U.S. electrification contractors in 2026.[43]

Lead generation in the sustainable construction industry

  • 26% of U.S. solar installers used purchased leads frequently in 2023.[46]
  • 14% of U.S. solar installers used events frequently to generate leads in 2023.[46]
  • 39% of U.S. solar installers used direct sales and advertising frequently to generate customer leads in 2023.[46]
  • 15% of U.S. solar installers used partnerships frequently to generate leads in 2023.[46]
  • 46% of U.S. solar installers did not use purchased leads in 2023.[46]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Marketing evaluation shows a channel mix built around visibility and content. In 2026, 58% of AEC firms rated their websites as effective marketing channels.

Marketing in the sustainable construction industry

  • 60% of green home builders and remodelers in the U.S. Northeast used website marketing to demonstrate green projects in 2024.[48]
  • 20% of green home builders and remodelers in the U.S. South used website marketing to demonstrate green projects in 2024.[48]
  • 35% of U.S. green home builders and remodelers used website marketing to demonstrate that projects were green in 2024.[49]
  • 6% of U.S. green home builders and remodelers used a green appraisal form to demonstrate that projects were green in 2024.[49]
  • 43% of green home builders and remodelers in the U.S. West used website marketing to demonstrate green projects in 2024.[48]

Digital marketing in the sustainable construction industry

  • 58% of architecture, engineering and construction firms rated their firm website as an effective marketing channel in 2026.[50]
  • 63% of architecture, engineering and construction firms rated conferences and events as an effective marketing channel in 2026.[50]
  • 18% of architects reported using digital technology to predict project water demands in the latest NBS Digital Construction survey.[51]
  • 40% of architecture, engineering and construction marketers spent less than 25% of their time creating new content in 2024.[52]
  • 94% of architecture, engineering and construction marketers used social media as a key channel for lead generation and awareness in 2024.[52]

Branding in the sustainable construction industry

  • 38% of Asia-Pacific sustainable-construction stakeholders believed sustainable construction created more value than traditional construction in 2026.[18]
  • 47% of global sustainable-construction stakeholders believed sustainable construction created more value than traditional construction in 2026.[18]
  • 86% of Romanian sustainable-construction stakeholders were aware of the concept in 2026.[18]
  • 45% of European sustainable-construction stakeholders believed sustainable construction created more value than traditional construction in 2026.[18]
  • 75% of Middle Eastern sustainable-construction stakeholders were aware of the concept in 2026.[18]

Social media in the sustainable construction industry

  • 73% of U.S. residential construction workers used Facebook regularly in 2024.[53]
  • 62% of Canadian design and construction professionals used social media for networking or research in 2025.[54]
  • 5% of Canadian design and construction professionals active on social platforms used TikTok in 2025.[54]
  • 47% of U.S. residential construction workers used Instagram regularly in 2024.[53]
  • 52% of U.S. residential construction workers used YouTube regularly in 2024.[53]

Influencer Marketing in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. prospective home buyers, 42% preferred Instagram for communication with a real estate agent in 2025, compared with 47% preferring Facebook.[55]
  • Among U.S. real estate professionals, 15% used TikTok for business in 2024, while 10% used X (formerly Twitter).[56]
  • Among U.S. real estate professionals, 62% used Instagram for business in 2024, alongside 87% using Facebook and 25% using YouTube.[56]
  • Among residential construction workers surveyed in 2024, 47% regularly used Instagram, 52% used YouTube and 73% used Facebook.[53]
  • Among U.S. real estate professionals, 52% said social media generated the highest number of quality leads in the previous 12 months in 2024.[56]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Rework risk remains a signal of execution quality. In 2024, 90% of surveyed sustainable-building projects experienced rework.

Process optimization in the sustainable construction industry

  • 66 sustainability-performance indicators were identified across 157 prefabricated-construction projects, Australia, 2025.[57]
  • 25.85% was the average construction-waste reduction associated with prefabrication across 412 Chinese projects, China, 2022.[58]
  • 42% of surveyed construction projects currently embed sustainable practices, globally, 2025–2026.[59]
  • 81 of 157 prefabricated-construction projects identified high quality as a performance indicator, Australia, 2025.[57]
  • 79 of 157 prefabricated-construction projects identified reduced overall project time as a performance indicator, Australia, 2025.[57]

Operational efficiency in the sustainable construction industry

  • 33% of construction businesses already use 3D printing, Australia, 2024.[4]
  • 40% of construction organizations digitally monitor supply-chain risk, globally, 2025–2026.[59]
  • 42% of construction organizations use technology for risk assessment, globally, 2025–2026.[59]
  • 29% of construction businesses already use drones, Australia, 2024.[4]
  • 28% of construction organizations have scaled digital construction solutions across their portfolios, globally, 2025–2026.[59]

Quality management in the sustainable construction industry

  • 56% of surveyed public clients used BIM for quality control, across 14 countries, 2024.[58]
  • 90% of surveyed sustainable-building projects experienced rework, based on 145 projects, 2024.[60]
  • 22.3% of respondents identified non-adherence to green or sustainable rating tools as a rework cause, 2024.[60]
  • 78% of surveyed public clients used BIM during construction, across 14 countries, 2024.[58]
  • 23.1% of respondents identified a poor quality-management framework as a rework cause in sustainable buildings, 2024.[60]

Supply chain in the sustainable construction industry

  • 633,000 metric tons of annual CO2e savings were estimated if eligible U.S. government construction procurement used low-carbon materials, United States, 2020.[61]
  • Approximately one-third of concrete used in the United States is purchased by state and local governments, United States, 2026.[62]
  • 55 million people work in the construction-materials sector, equal to 1.6% of global employment, globally, 2024.[63]
  • Over half of construction companies demonstrate low maturity in supplier engagement, globally, 2024.[7]
  • 28% of construction-sector revenue was associated with climate-transition products and services, globally, 2024.[7]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the construction and real estate sector (sector benchmark)

  • 30% of costs in Australian infrastructure construction flowed to external construction services in 2025.[5]
  • $5.66 per agent per month was the average outsourced accounting-labor price for U.S. real-estate brokerages with more than 500 agents, based on an August 2024 survey.[64]
  • 46.5% of Australian construction-industry input costs came from outsourced services in 2024, including labour hire, consultants and capital rentals.[5]
  • 45% of Australian infrastructure-construction businesses surveyed in 2025 reported cost overruns as a challenge when managing subcontracting or labour-hire relationships.[5]
  • 11% of income in Australian civil engineering, non-residential building and related construction came from subcontracting in 2025.[5]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Price premium perceptions coexist with operating-cost claims. In a 79-country survey, expected first-year operating-cost reduction averaged 11.5% for green renovation and retrofit projects.

Pricing strategy in the sustainable construction industry

  • 74% of U.S. multifamily builders and remodelers reported that green building cost more than traditional construction in 2020.[49]
  • 14% of global property professionals estimated that green-building price premiums exceeded 10% in 2024.[2]
  • 50% of global property professionals reported that green buildings achieved a price premium over comparable non-green buildings in 2024.[2]
  • 31% of global property professionals estimated that green-building rent premiums were up to 10% in 2024.[2]
  • 31% of global property professionals reported that non-green buildings received a brown discount rather than green buildings receiving a rent premium in 2024.[2]

Cost reduction in the sustainable construction industry

  • 11.5% was the average expected first-year operating-cost reduction for green renovation and retrofit projects in a 79-country survey.[65]
  • 17.0% was the average expected five-year operating-cost reduction for green renovation and retrofit projects in a 79-country survey.[65]
  • 16.9% was the average expected operating-cost reduction over five years for new green buildings in a 79-country survey.[65]
  • 30% to 50% were the potential energy and operating-emissions savings from deep building retrofits, according to WorldGBC.[27]
  • 13% was the median expected 12-month operating-cost saving reported by organizations with more than 60% of projects classified as green in 2018.[27]

Profitability in the sustainable construction industry

  • US$900,000 was the annual energy saving achieved by the Akron Children’s Hospital green-building project in Ohio.[27]
  • €624,000 was the financing-cost saving achieved for the Plantronics office in the Netherlands when the client purchased the building.[27]
  • 27% was the reduction in staff turnover at Cundall’s sustainable UK office.[27]
  • 58% was the reduction in absenteeism at Cundall’s sustainable UK office, equal to more than four fewer days per person annually.[27]
  • 9.1% was the average perceived increase in asset value for green renovation and retrofit projects in a 79-country survey.[65]

Financial planning in the sustainable construction industry

  • 9% was the median expected operating-cost reduction during the first year for new green buildings in 2015.[27]
  • 2% was the upfront investment premium that generated savings exceeding 10 times the initial investment over a 20-year life cycle across 33 U.S. LEED-rated projects.[27]
  • 5 to 6 times was the ratio by which operational savings offset the marginal cost increase of green buildings for owner-occupiers in a New Zealand study.[27]
  • 3 times was the ratio by which higher rental premiums for tenants were offset by operational savings in a New Zealand green-building study.[27]
  • 16% was the share of green-bond use of proceeds directed to green buildings in emerging markets in 2024.[66]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Selection criteria increasingly reflect sustainability commitments. In 2024, 62% of construction professionals considered suppliers’ sustainable-construction commitment a selection criterion.

Product development in the sustainable construction industry

  • 62% of construction professionals considered suppliers’ sustainable-construction commitment a selection criterion in 2024, across 22 countries.[18]
  • 44% of African construction professionals expected more than half of their activity to be sustainable construction within five years of 2024.[18]
  • 51% of construction professionals had already received sustainable-construction training in 2024, across the surveyed countries.[18]
  • 14% of surveyed construction manufacturers expected product-impact reductions exceeding 30% by applying LCA insights in product development in 2025.[67]
  • 36% of construction-product manufacturers targeted carbon reductions of 11%–30% through LCA-informed product development in 2025, globally.[68]

Product lifecycle in the sustainable construction industry

  • 80% of UK and Ireland construction respondents expected EPD demand to increase significantly within three years in 2025.[68]
  • 89% of construction-product manufacturers said EPDs affected AEC purchasing decisions in 2025, globally.[68]
  • 85% of AEC professionals identified a lack of national regulation as the largest demand-side barrier to construction LCA adoption in 2025.[68]
  • 75% of North American construction respondents expected EPD demand to increase significantly within three years in 2025.[68]
  • 38% of AEC professionals considered EPDs very important to material-selection decisions in 2025, globally.[68]

After-sales in the sustainable construction industry

  • 73% of commercial real-estate executives said higher green-building construction costs would be repaid through lower operating costs in the United States in 2008.[22]
  • 84% of commercial real-estate executives reported lower energy costs for green buildings in the United States in 2008.[22]
  • 23% lower operating expenses were recorded in GSA high-performance buildings compared with legacy buildings in the United States, according to NIST.[69]
  • 68% of commercial real-estate executives reported lower overall operating costs for green buildings in the United States in 2008.[22]
  • 20% lower maintenance costs were reported for LEED buildings than typical commercial buildings in the United States, according to USGBC evidence available in 2026.[22]

Value proposition in the sustainable construction industry

  • 8% higher resale values were recorded for Austin-area homes built to LEED standards between 2008 and 2016.[22]
  • 6% higher resale values were recorded for Austin-area homes built to a wider range of green standards between 2008 and 2016.[22]
  • 49% of U.S. commercial real-estate executives reported higher occupancy rates for green buildings in 2008.[22]
  • 72% of U.S. commercial real-estate executives reported higher building value for green buildings in 2008.[22]
  • 70% of U.S. sustainable-construction stakeholders identified building energy efficiency as a priority dimension in 2026.[42]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability disclosures and ethics appear alongside safety and circularity measures. In a 2026 CSRD review, 68% of construction companies had sustainability reports covering the assessed disclosures.

Sustainability in the sustainable construction industry

  • 50% of extracted material is accounted for by the global built environment.[21]
  • 1.7% was the increase in global building floor area during 2024.[21]
  • 5–12% of national greenhouse-gas emissions are estimated to come from construction materials and building construction and renovation in the European Union.[70]
  • 205,000 LEED professionals were active worldwide in February 2024.[22]
  • 6.5% was the increase in global building-sector emissions over the decade to 2024.[21]

ESG in the sustainable construction industry

  • 30% of construction companies significantly increased their climate ambition in 2024.[7]
  • 41% of construction companies left their climate ambition unchanged in 2024.[7]
  • 66% of construction companies were on track to meet Scope 1 and 2 climate targets in 2024.[7]
  • 10% of construction companies slightly increased their climate ambition in 2024.[7]
  • 68% of construction companies in a 2026 CSRD review had sustainability reports covering the assessed disclosures.[71]

Ethics in the sustainable construction industry

  • 84% of Skanska employees agreed their business unit did a good job monitoring and improving workplace safety in 2024.[72]
  • 86% of Skanska employees agreed they could express concerns without fear of negative consequences in 2024.[72]
  • 7,575 executive site safety visits were conducted by Skanska senior managers in 2024.[72]
  • 419 accidents involved Skanska employees in 2024, compared with 540 involving subcontractors.[72]
  • 959 total case accidents were recorded by Skanska in 2024.[72]

CSR in the sustainable construction industry

  • 54% of construction respondents said their organization had invested in clean-energy projects in a 2024 sustainability survey.[73]
  • 0.30 was PCL Construction's total recordable incident rate for employees in 2024.[74]
  • 68% of construction respondents reported having a written decarbonization plan in the 2024 RSM survey.[73]
  • 88% of construction-sector CEOs in the cited UN Global Compact research said the business case for sustainability was stronger than five years earlier.[75]
  • 0.48 was PCL Construction's total recordable incident rate for employees and trade contractors in 2024.[74]

Circular economy in the sustainable construction industry

  • 29% of Irish construction SMEs sold remanufactured or refurbished goods in 2024.[76]
  • 68% of 174 construction companies studied mentioned circularity activities in their sustainability strategies.[77]
  • 52% of Irish construction SMEs rated additional circular-economy training as a strong motivating intervention in 2024.[76]
  • 39% of Irish construction SMEs rated digital product passports as a strong circular-economy intervention in 2024.[76]
  • 29% of surveyed construction stakeholders actively measured reuse or recycling of waste in 2023.[78]

Carbon footprint in the sustainable construction industry

  • 6.5% was the increase in global building emissions over the decade to 2024, while floor area grew 20%.[21]
  • 4.15 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent could be cut by combining a circular-building scenario with decarbonization through 2050.[21]
  • 48 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent reduction could be achieved in the EU maximum reuse-and-recycling scenario excluding excavated soils and dredging spoils.[21]
  • 39% of annual global carbon emissions are attributed to the built environment.[21]
  • 9.4% of domestic carbon footprints are estimated to come from material extraction, construction-product manufacturing and building construction and renovation.[21]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

LEED footprint data underscores geographic diffusion. In 2025, the United States covered 50,129,093 gross square metres of LEED-certified space across 2,228 projects.

Globalization in the sustainable construction industry

  • 26,645,737 gross square metres of LEED-certified space covered 1,939 projects in mainland China in 2025.[91]
  • 2,933,631 gross square metres of LEED-certified space covered 171 projects in Brazil in 2025.[91]
  • 50,129,093 gross square metres of LEED-certified space covered 2,228 projects in the United States in 2025.[91]
  • 2,564,921 gross square metres of LEED-certified space covered 183 projects in Sweden in 2025.[91]
  • 2,251,714 gross square metres of LEED-certified space covered 174 projects in the United Arab Emirates in 2025.[91]

Cultural adaptation in the sustainable construction industry

  • 25% of professionals in Türkiye defined sustainable construction through building-user wellbeing, compared with 14% internationally, in 2024.[18]
  • 46% of sustainable-construction professionals in Africa defined the concept as energy-efficient construction in 2024.[18]
  • 21% of sustainable-construction professionals in Africa defined the concept as construction using ecological materials in 2024.[18]
  • 42% of sustainable-construction professionals in North and Central America defined the concept as energy-efficient construction in 2024.[18]
  • 40% of sustainable-construction professionals in Europe defined the concept as energy-efficient construction in 2024.[18]

Supplier management in the sustainable construction industry

  • 83% of surveyed Brazilian construction companies had a strategy for selecting suppliers in 2022.[92]
  • 50% of surveyed Brazilian construction companies had established a sustainable-procurement policy in 2022.[92]
  • 60.7% of surveyed Brazilian construction companies operated without certifications in 2022.[92]
  • 75% of surveyed Brazilian construction companies knew about sustainable procurement in 2022.[92]

Stakeholder management in the sustainable construction industry

  • Nearly one-third of stakeholders cited competitiveness of sustainable solutions as a priority driver in 2026.[93]
  • 67% of stakeholders globally said they understood exactly what sustainable construction means in 2026.[18]
  • 31% of stakeholders cited raising public awareness as a priority driver for accelerating sustainable construction in 2026.[93]
  • 4,800 stakeholders were surveyed across 30 countries in Saint-Gobain’s 2026 sustainable-construction barometer.[18]
  • 72% of Green Building Councils reported increased sustainability awareness in their markets in 2023–2024.[27]

Distribution channels in the sustainable construction industry

  • SRS Distribution was acquired by Home Depot in a transaction valued at approximately $18.25 billion including debt in 2024.[94]
  • GMS was acquired by Home Depot in a transaction valued at approximately $4.3 billion in 2025.[94]

Key questions about the sustainable construction industry

How large is the commercial green construction market in 2024?
The global commercial green construction market was valued at $705.8B in 2024.
How fast is commercial green construction expected to grow to 2030?
Commercial green construction is forecast to grow at a 10.6% compound annual growth rate from 2025 to 2030.
Which companies lead the sustainable construction industry?
Saint-Gobain leads Gitnux's 2026 sustainable construction ranking with an Overall score of 9.3, with operating margin 11.4%, used in light and sustainable construction materials. CRH is the runner-up at 9.2, driven by $15.7 billion from enhanced-sustainability-attribute products in 2025.
What technology shifts matter most in 2025–26 for sustainability execution?
In 2025, 41% of construction companies used AI to optimise energy consumption and efficiency and 44% used AI to analyse and improve supply-chain sustainability.
What does market structure look like when financing and construction revenues are compared?
The 2024 green, social and sustainability bond and sustainability-linked-loan market reached $6.9T, with Europe at 45% of issuance and Asia-Pacific at 26%.
Where does regulation push data requirements for construction products into digital formats?
The EU Construction Products Regulation 2024/3110 entered into force on January 7, 2025, with main provisions applying from January 8, 2026, including digital product passports.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Sustainable Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainable-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Sustainable Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainable-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Sustainable Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainable-construction-industry-statistics.

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