Why Should Construction Be a Core Component of a National Sustainable Development Strategy?

In an era of climate change, resource crises, and rapid urban transformations, the construction industry can no longer be viewed as merely an operational activity. Today, construction is a powerful instrument for shaping economic, social, and environmental policy. Therefore, if sustainable development is to serve as the prevailing framework for national planning, it cannot be conceived without placing the construction and building sector at the center of these strategies.

However, this issue goes far beyond environmental obligations or resource efficiency. It concerns the redefinition of the “strategic role of construction” in shaping the future architecture of the nation.

Beyond Building: Construction as a Tool of Public Policy

In many countries, construction is one of the key drivers of economic growth and job creation. But within the framework of sustainable development, this role extends well beyond economic stimulus. Construction projects—due to their extensive supply chains, intersectoral coordination requirements, and direct impact on the environment, infrastructure, spatial justice, and social welfare—have effectively become instruments for implementing national public policies.

For example, policies such as net-zero emissions, water crisis management, urban resilience, balanced regional development, and even structural inflation control remain mere slogans unless the construction industry is fully integrated into their implementation.

Why Is Construction a Point of Convergence for Sustainable Development?

Sustainable development is classically defined through three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. The construction industry lies precisely at the intersection of these three pillars:

1. Economic: Construction accounts for around 8% to 10% of GDP in many economies and is considered a leading sector. But the issue goes beyond figures; construction has the potential to create extensive value chains in areas such as building technology, logistics, renewable energy, construction tech, and full-process digitalization.

2. Social: Construction projects can reshape housing patterns, access to services, distribution of welfare, and spatial justice. Moreover, worker safety, social inclusion in design, and higher standards of urban living all depend on the quality of construction-related policies.

3. Environmental: The sector is responsible for 38% of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes more than 30% of natural resources. Without systematic interventions in architecture, materials, energy, and life-cycle management, no climate strategy can be effective.

The Weakness of Traditional Policies: Artificial Separation of Construction from National Development

In many countries, construction is still treated as a separate operational field rather than a policymaking instrument. This traditional perspective has led to the failure of infrastructure projects to align with national strategic objectives. The solution is to define the industry as a “national ecosystem aligned with sustainable development.”

Such a transformation requires a redesign of institutional structures, targeted incentive programs, the formulation of regulatory frameworks aligned with climate goals, and the enforcement of quality- and performance-based criteria in public tenders.

Sustainable Development Planning Is Impossible Without Re-designing the Construction Ecosystem

Achieving nationwide sustainable development is not possible without reengineering the construction sector from three key perspectives:

1. Designing multilayer governance structures for projects.

2. Establishing national standards for materials, energy, and construction waste management.

3. Implementing budgeting systems based on life-cycle value.

Only then can construction evolve from a purely operational activity into a tool for shaping the nation’s urban, environmental, and economic future.