Climate and Energy Benchmark

2023 Buildings Benchmark

March 2023

The World Benchmarking Alliance’s fifth Climate and Energy Benchmark measures and ranks the world’s 50 most influential buildings companies on their just and equitable low-carbon transition. 

In order to accelerate the decarbonisation of our built environments, building companies around the world must take action in creating measurable and transparent goals to progress on climate ambition, just transition and human rights practices. 

Since 2022, the Climate and Energy Benchmark have been assessing companies using the ACT (Assessing low Carbon Transition) methodologies and the WBA social and just transition indicators. This approach provides a holistic assessment of companies’ efforts to achieve a lowcarbon transition that is just and equitable. 

Five key findings

The 2023 Climate and Energy Benchmark in the buildings sector shows an industry with an immense amount of progress to make: most companies do not have targets and transition plans in place to achieve net zero goals. Additionally, building companies’ choices are critical for people everywhere yet are currently impacting emissions for generations to come. This sector needs to show leadership on connecting and collaborating with all stakeholders in the value chain to ensure responsibility is given to mitigate emissions and align with 1.5°C goal. 

The findings also show that overall, only a minority of the assessed companies are engaged with necessary preconditions for a just transition, if undertaking a low-carbon transition at all. As with the low-carbon assessment, companies demonstrate a lack of commitments and action in their business relationships and value chain, as well as within the companies and for their own employees. A just transition requires urgent attention from companies and policymakers. 

Key finding

Today’s choices in the building sector will impact emissions for decades.

Companies in the buildings sector are failing to take responsibility for reducing the in-use emissions from the operations of buildings. The longevity of buildings means that making the wrong design, construction, and renovation decisions today will have a lasting impact on society’s ability to decarbonise. However, there is little evidence that property developers and construction companies are committing to deliver efficient low-carbon and zero-carbon-ready buildings or that property managers are planning to convert existing buildings to zero-carbon-ready through deep renovations and retrofits. As a result, companies in the buildings sector are locking in emissions for decades to come.

Key finding

Only a small portion of building sector companies are planning for a low-carbon transition.

Companies in the sector have insufficient targets and climate transition plans in place. Urgent action is needed to tackle emissions through developing low-carbon transition plans, committing to renovating portfolios and delivering zero-carbon buildings.

Key finding

Companies should lead by example and work with all stakeholders to mitigate emissions.

The building sector is heavily reliant on its value chain to decarbonise. As a result, it is critically important for companies within the Buildings Benchmark to engage with each other and with their suppliers, customers and other external actors to achieve much-needed emissions reductions.

Key finding

There is a systemic lack of commitment and action regarding the fundamentals of responsible business conduct in the buildings sector.

Companies in the building sector are failing to demonstrate the fundamentals of responsible conduct for their business, their workers and the workers in their supply chains. While 34% of companies have publicly available policies committing to respecting human rights, only 28% of companies have committed to protecting the health and safety of both their own workers and those in their supply chain.

Key finding

Over a million workers are at risk due to non-existent just transition plans.

A ‘just transition’ envisions communities and workers that are thriving and resilient to change, while remaining within the global 1.5°C boundary set out in the Paris Agreement. All examined buildings companies score 0 on just transition planning, putting 1.2 million of their direct employees, and millions of contracted workers at risk.

Find out how the companies performed

View ranking

Where are the 50 companies headquartered?

Locations

  • Title: IRSA
    Place: Argentina
    Description:
  • Title: Jiangsu Zhongnan Construction Group
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Jinke Property Group
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)
    Place: United States of America
    Description:
  • Title: LEG Immobilien SE
    Place: Germany
    Description:
  • Title: LendLease Group
    Place: Australia
    Description:
  • Title: Longfor Group Holdings
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Macrotech Developers Ltd
    Place: India
    Description:
  • Title: Mitsubishi Estate
    Place: Japan
    Description:
  • Title: Mitsui Fudosan
    Place: Japan
    Description:
  • Title: MRV Engenharia
    Place: Brazil
    Description:
  • Title: New World Development
    Place: Hong Kong, China
    Description:
  • Title: Palm Hills Development
    Place: Egypt
    Description:
  • Title: Prologis
    Place: United States of America
    Description:
  • Title: Qatari Diar
    Place: Qatar
    Description:
  • Title: Redefine Properties Ltd
    Place: South Africa
    Description:
  • Title: RiseSun Real Estate Development
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Sagax AB
    Place: Sweden
    Description:
  • Title: Seazen Holding
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: SEGRO PLC
    Place: United Kingdom
    Description:
  • Title: Simon Property Group
    Place: United States of America
    Description:
  • Title: Sumitomo Realty & Development
    Place: Japan
    Description:
  • Title: Sun Hung Kai Properties
    Place: Hong Kong, China
    Description:
  • Title: Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE
    Place: France
    Description:
  • Title: Vonovia SE
    Place: Germany
    Description:
  • Title: Welltower
    Place: United States of America
    Description:
  • Title: Wheelock and Co
    Place: Hong Kong, China
    Description:
  • Title: Yango Group
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Avalonbay Communities
    Place: United States of America
    Description:
  • Title: Ayala Land
    Place: Philippines
    Description:
  • Title: Brookfields Corporation
    Place: Canada
    Description:
  • Title: CBRE Group
    Place: United States of America
    Description:
  • Title: China Evergrande Group
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: China Overseas Land & Investment
    Place: Hong Kong, China
    Description:
  • Title: China Poly Group
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: China Resources Land
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: CIFI Holdings
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: CK Asset Holdings
    Place: Hong Kong, China
    Description:
  • Title: Country Garden Holdings
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Cushman & Wakefield
    Place: United Kingdom
    Description:
  • Title: Cyrela Brazil Realty
    Place: Brazil
    Description:
  • Title: Emaar Properties
    Place: United Arab Emirates
    Description:
  • Title: Even Construtora
    Place: Brazil
    Description:
  • Title: Gecina
    Place: France
    Description:
  • Title: Gemdale
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Godrej Properties
    Place: India
    Description:
  • Title: Greenland Holdings
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Greentown China Holdings
    Place: China
    Description:
  • Title: Hyundai Engineering and Construction
    Place: Republic of Korea
    Description:

Further reading

  • Benchmark data set

    Our 2023 Climate and Energy Benchmark in the buildings sector measures the world’s 50 most influential companies in the buildings sector on their alignment with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5° Celsius and their contributions to a just transition. This data sheet compiles company-level information and module and indicator scoring.

    View data set
  • Technical FAQs

    These FAQs explain technical aspects of how the ACT methodologies are used to assess companies in high emitting sectors and create WBA's Buildings Benchmark

    See FAQs here
  • Press release

    Read or download the Buildings Benchmark news announcement

    Read press release
  • Insights Report

    This report builds on the above mentioned key findings in detail and dives further into the module level summaries

    Insights Report