A Review of “Green Building” Regulations, Laws, and Standards in Latin America

Abstract

Latin America covers 20% of the world’s surface but only produces 12% of global carbon emissions. However, countries such as Brazil and Argentina have seen some of the most aggressive increases in individual country CO2 emissions over the last two decades. Given that 80% of Latin America’s population lives in cities, where we can expect the greatest increases in demand for energy and predicted growth in built floor space, it is necessary to ensure that these do not result in an overall growth in carbon emissions. Hence, we present the first review of the various “green building” rules developed in this region to curtail energy or carbon. This covers nine countries representing 80% of the region’s population. We find that these countries in Latin America have developed 94 different green building rules, though to different extents. Many pertain to domestic buildings that are known to contribute 17% of the overall carbon emissions. Subsidies and tax incentives are most common, whereas innovative carbon market schemes have only been adopted in Mexico and Chile. In Argentina and Chile, regulations are similar to their European cold-climate counterparts but are poorly enforced. Overall, we find considerable progress in Latin America to create new standards and regulations, with enforcement being a major future challenge.

Challenges in Implementing Lean and Green in Saudi Construction Sector

“…[6,16] Lack of leadership commitment If leadership does not fully support the implementation of L&G, it can lead to inadequate allocation of resources and lack of motivation among employees. [9,11] Cultural barriers Cultural factors, such as values, beliefs, and norms, can hinder the adoption of L&G practices. [6,23] Traditional mindset and resistance to change…”

“…KSA, a leading global oil producer, is undergoing a significant shift as part of its Vision 2030 plan. It aspires to reduce the country's reliance on oil and stimulate the growth of public sectors such as the construction industry [9]. As Hussain et al [5] posit, L&G principles, which underscore operational efficiency and sustainability, align with the country's endeavours to diversify its economy and decrease its oil dependence.…”

“…Multiple reasons underscore the importance of scrutinising the barriers to implementing L&G in the KSA construction industry. Firstly, due to the colossal infrastructure projects initiated as part of the Vision 2030 endeavour, the construction sector holds significant importance in the Saudi economy [9]. Integrating L&G practices into these undertakings has the potential to bolster their productivity, longevity, and success [5].…”

“…Accelerating the widespread adoption of L&G practices requires a comprehensive understanding of the impediments hindering their implementation. Secondly, KSA, despite being the world's largest oil producer, is striving to diversify its economy and reduce its dependency on fossil fuels [9]. The implementation of L&G practices in one of the country's most vital industries could aid in this endeavour.…”

How “Green” are the Green Buildings: Roles of the Government

“…To realize this mission, the government as a regulator has an important role in adjusting the content of regulations and synchronizing various upstream regulations to support green building regulations downstream (Sumiyati & Purisari, 2020). However, although regulations about green building are currently available, the implications still need more effort and integration with extensive evaluation and monitoring (Zepeda-Gil & Natarajan, 2020). Green building research is conducted by many parties focusing on climate change, energy use, technology, and waste management (Medineckiene et al, 2015;Shad et al, 2017;Berawi et al, 2019).…”