The shift to a sustainable building sector is vital for cutting down global carbon emissions. In a recent interview, Eleni Polychroniadou, CEO of Sintali, discussed with Muhammad Younis the key policy reforms and innovations required to fast-track this transition. She also highlighted the challenges hindering the adoption of green building standards, especially in developing countries, and how these challenges can be overcome. Eleni further emphasised Sintali’s role in driving green building initiatives and creating a more sustainable built environment worldwide.

#CTS: The building sector is a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. What are the most critical policy changes or technological innovations needed to accelerate the sector’s transition to sustainability, particularly in regions lagging behind?

Eleni Polychroniadou: Stronger building codes that are mandatory, not voluntary, are essential. Currently, there are approximately 81 mandatory building codes worldwide, which may seem impressive until you consider that there are 195 countries globally. Also, the number of codes does not necessarily correlate with their impact, as construction rates vary from country to country. It is estimated that around 80 percent of projected floor area growth by 2030 will occur in developing and emerging economies (IEA 2023a), and most of these countries lack the necessary building energy codes to limit the growth of energy demand. Without these codes, all of this construction will significantly hinder the sector's progress towards sustainability.

Governments should also offer incentives, such as tax breaks or subsidies for green building projects, to encourage widespread adoption and alter current adoption patterns. Although this approach may not be sustainable in the long term, it can help jumpstart the sector until it becomes mainstream. On the technological front, most of the necessary technologies to green buildings already exist today. The challenge lies less in innovation and more in the adoption of technology and the implementation of green measures.

#CTS: What do you see as the primary barriers to the widespread adoption of green building standards, especially in developing markets? How can these challenges be effectively addressed to encourage a global shift towards sustainable construction?

Eleni Polychroniadou: The primary barriers to the widespread adoption of green building standards, particularly in developing markets, revolve around three key perceptions: the complexity of green buildings, the cost implications, and the time commitment required.

Green building standards encompass a wide array of criteria, from energy efficiency to water conservation and indoor air quality. For developers and contractors who may not be familiar with these standards, green buildings feel like a “black box” that is lacking clarity and direction. To resolve this, we need better education and tools that help bridge the gap. Tools like the free EDGE App that the World Bank have developed play an important role in this, as well as accessible courses and access to information. Simplifying guidelines and providing clear, step-by-step instructions can also make the process more accessible.

There is also a widespread belief that green buildings are expensive. While it is true that the initial investment for sustainable materials and technologies may be higher, this perspective often ignores the long-term savings and benefits. Green buildings can significantly reduce operating costs through energy savings, lower maintenance expenses, and increase the property value. Also, in cases where green building design is adopted from the start, the incremental cost is negligible. Finally, there are financial incentives, subsidies, and preferential interest rates that can help offset upfront costs, making green construction more attractive and feasible.

Lastly, the perception that green building projects take too long to complete is another significant barrier. Developers are often under tight deadlines, so any delays are immediately rejected as not viable. With good planning and clear, streamlined processes, green building standards can follow a construction timeline and not add significant time delays. Delays only happen when sustainability is an afterthought, and work is required to backtrack and find documents and adapt a process.

#CTS: How does Sintali’s certification process for IFC's EDGE standard ensure that buildings not only meet high environmental standards but also contribute to meaningful climate action on a global scale?

Eleni Polychroniadou: The EDGE certification process, developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is a robust and quantifiable system designed to guarantee that buildings meet certain sustainability criteria. This process follows a stringent two-step verification mechanism with a mandatory independent auditor and a mandatory independent certification reviewer, ensuring thorough and reliable validation at every stage. These characteristics make sure the process ensures buildings meet high environmental standards.
When it comes to meaningful climate action, that is actually the core of what IFC’s EDGE was designed to address. EDGE emphasises the use of quantitative data to achieve decarbonization goals, focusing on three critical areas: energy efficiency, embodied carbon in materials, and water usage. Each of these measures is calculated and monitored, ensuring that buildings not only reduce their carbon footprint but also optimise resource efficiency. All of the measures directly link to climate action and can be measured. As for action at a global scale, the process is scalable and accessible, aiming to drive action in the mass market. This is critical when we think about meaningful climate action because we need scale to address such a large issue.

#CTS: What impact has Sintali’s "Building with Nature" initiative had on green infrastructure in the UK, and what are your plans for scaling these principles and their benefits to international markets?

Eleni Polychroniadou: Building with Nature serves as an industry benchmark for the UK. It was developed to really help developers, councils and stakeholders understand what green infrastructure looks like and really see the potential of good placemaking. While there is a lot of knowledge in the market, it can be hard to contextualise or understand the interconnected elements of green infrastructure including water management, wildlife and wellbeing. The framework provides a clear approach to various stakeholders and guidance on how to work collaboratively and change the typical way in which green infrastructure is developed, with the ultimate purpose of bringing as much value as possible to people and the planet.

While Building with Nature is currently only focused on the UK market, we are planning on internationalising the framework. This requires understanding local planning regulations across the countries that we work in, typical industry practices for green infrastructure and broader government regulation so that we can adapt the framework to make sense locally. From the conversations that we have had to date, there is a lot of appetite around the world for such a standard. We’re looking forward to working with partners and stakeholders to make this happen.

#CTS: How do you view the role of events like the London Climate Technology Show in advancing climate-tech solutions, and what impact do they have on fostering collaboration and innovation within the industry?

Eleni Polychroniadou: Industry events play an important role in disseminating information across the value chain. A lot of great, innovative work happens in sustainability but if we don’t share lessons learnt, we end up recreating the wheel instead of collaborating to move the industry forward faster. We need to build off each other, share lessons learned and accelerate the pace of change.