In May 2026, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) released the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026: Building Fast. Falling Short. The report assesses global progress towards decarbonising the buildings sector while improving resilience to growing climate risks.

A key message of this year’s report is that addressing overheating and growing cooling demand will require more than simply expanding access to cooling equipment. As temperatures continue to rise and heatwaves become more frequent and intense, reducing overheating risks through building design must become a priority.

The report shows that cooling demand is growing rapidly worldwide. Cooling now accounts for 4% of total building energy use, and cooling-related energy demand has increased by 70% since 2015. Rising temperatures, urbanisation and increasing demand for thermal comfort are expected to further accelerate this trend in the coming decades.

To address growing cooling demand and overheating risks, UNEP emphasises the importance of reducing cooling needs before relying on mechanical cooling systems. The report identifies passive cooling as a critical strategy for delivering thermal comfort while limiting energy consumption and emissions. Measures such as external shading, natural ventilation, reflective surfaces and climate-responsive design can significantly reduce indoor temperatures and cooling loads, helping buildings remain comfortable during increasingly frequent heatwaves. This message is closely aligned with the findings of UNEP’s recent Global Cooling Watch report, which highlighted passive and low-energy cooling solutions as essential for expanding access to cooling sustainably while minimising electricity demand.

Importantly, the report highlights that passive cooling remains largely overlooked in building regulations worldwide. While many countries have introduced energy efficiency requirements, passive cooling provisions are still underrepresented in building codes, despite their potential to improve resilience to overheating and reduce energy demand. UNEP therefore calls for future building energy codes to integrate passive cooling and heating strategies that are adapted to local climates and building traditions.

The report also points to encouraging examples. Kenya’s National Building Code 2024 includes mandatory passive cooling measures such as shading, natural ventilation, insulation, evaporative cooling and reflective coatings, demonstrating how building regulations can support climate-responsive design.

As buildings continue to expand globally and climate risks intensify, the report makes clear that passive cooling must become a cornerstone of future-proof buildings. By reducing overheating risks, lowering cooling demand and improving resilience, passive solutions can help deliver comfortable, healthy and affordable indoor environments while supporting climate goals.

To download and read the full report, please click here.

Source: United Nations Environment Programme (2026). Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026: As climate risks rise and cities grow, we must rethink how we build to create better lives for all. Paris, 2026.