Sustainability Magazine Unveils Special Report: Decarbonising the Built Environment Through Technology and Energy Innovation

LONDON, Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Buildings generate 36% of global carbon emissions and account for 40% of global energy use, placing the built environment at the centre of climate action. Sustainability Magazine, a BizClik brand, has released a new Special Report, 'Technology & Energy: Decarbonising the Built Environment', examining how global property leaders are deploying innovative technologies to cut emissions and accelerate the energy transition across real estate.

The report is featured in Sustainability Magazine's latest issue (Issue 60), available now.

The report examines how companies such as Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE and Johnson Controls are working to decarbonise the built environment by leveraging building automation, electrification, clean energy and data-driven insights to cut operational emissions and support net-zero commitments. It also highlights the Top 10 Companies Supporting Sustainability in the Built Environment.

Key Insights

• Buildings account for 40% of global energy use and 36% of carbon dioxide emissions, making them central to climate action.
  
  
• Smart building technologies are reducing energy use by 20–30% across major portfolios.
  
  
• Solar, battery storage and heat pump installations are expanding rapidly, enabling resilient and low-carbon operations.
  
  
• Global green building market value is projected to reach US$600bn by 2027, driven by rising demand for energy-efficient real estate.
  
  

"The climate is telling us that until we decarbonise those buildings, we can't effectively decarbonise the climate," said Katie McGinty, Chief Sustainability Officer at Johnson Controls.

"New technologies give us a chance to push building emissions to net zero or even net energy positive."

Each organisation contributed insights to this Special Report. The highlights below provide wider context on their current activity in the built environment and their recent collaborations with BizClik.

Featured Highlights

Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield is driving meaningful decarbonisation across its 5.1bn sq. ft global real estate portfolio by integrating smart building systems, expanding onsite renewable generation and following SBTi-aligned emissions pathways.

Jessica Francisco, Chief Sustainability Officer at Cushman & Wakefield, is helping to lead this transformation. She is highlighted in Sustainability Magazine's Top 250 Sustainability Leaders 2025 and Top 250 Women Driving Sustainability 2025 reports for her work advancing climate action and responsible transformation across global property portfolios.

Cushman & Wakefield is also featured in Sustainability Magazine's Top 250 World's Most Sustainable Companies 2025 report, recognising its sustained leadership in low-carbon real estate and energy-efficient operations.

CBRE

CBRE continues to advance its net-zero strategy by integrating low-carbon technologies, expanding electrification across its operations and delivering science-based targets validated by SBTi.

CBRE will be speaking at Data Centre LIVE in London, on 20-21 May 2026, where Lovisa Hagelberg, Business Unit Director Nordics, will join a panel exploring best practices in data centre facilities management. The session will examine how operators can improve operational efficiency, apply predictive maintenance and balance uptime, cost and sustainability targets.

The discussion will focus on practical approaches to managing modern infrastructure while supporting long-term performance and environmental goals.

Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls is also featured in Sustainability Magazine's Top 250 World's Most Sustainable Companies 2025 report, recognised for its leadership in energy-efficient technologies and long-term climate commitments.

In addition, Johnson Controls is highlighted in Data Centre Magazine's latest issue, featuring a Q&A with Todd Grabowski, VP and President Americas, on 'Building the Sustainable Data Centres of the Future'. This follows his recent company report with Data Centre Magazine, 'Driving the Data Centre Revolution', which reveals how Johnson Controls is breaking new ground with innovation, scalability, and consistency.

Top 10 Companies Supporting Sustainability in the Built Environment

The special report also showcases the Top 10 Companies Supporting Sustainability in the Built Environment, including Schneider Electric, Arcadis, Autodesk, Honeywell, Siemens, Skanska and Lendlease, recognised for innovation in engineering, building automation, design and energy management.

Why It Matters

The built environment must decarbonise at speed to meet net-zero goals. Achieving this requires retrofitting existing buildings, integrating clean technology at scale and addressing long-standing barriers such as capital constraints and split incentives.

The Special Report explores how leaders are using AI, IoT, heat pumps, district energy networks and renewable power to deliver measurable reductions in emissions. It also examines regulatory challenges and the growing role of data transparency in driving performance across global property portfolios.

Read the Full Report

Access the full Special Report, 'Technology & Energy: Decarbonising the Built Environment', on Sustainability Magazine.

Get Involved in Future Reports

Sustainability Magazine now publishes twice monthly, delivering regular analysis on the companies, executives and innovations leading global sustainability.

To feature your organisation or explore sponsorship opportunities, contact the editorial team.

About Sustainability Magazine

Sustainability Magazine is a BizClik brand offering insight, analysis and executive perspectives across ESG strategy, climate action, energy transition and sustainable business leadership.

About BizClik

BizClik is a global B2B media and events company producing sector-specific content across sustainability, technology, energy, procurement, fintech and AI. Its portfolio includes digital magazines, websites, newsletters, webinars and award-winning global events.

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