by Aguilar Zavaleta Jorge Pablo
Contemporary architectural design faces the urgent challenge of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, given that the building sector accounts for 34% of global CO₂ emissions and consumes 32% of the world's energy, with operational emissions reaching 9.8 gigatons by 2023. The research is premised on the premise that sustainable architecture is key to mitigating environmental impact, integrating strategies such as energy efficient design, low carbon material selection, adaptive reuse, and smart technologies. Methodologically, the study employs a critical review of indexed literature and analysis of recent cases, complemented by data from international organizations and life cycle assessments (LCAs) to quantify operational and embedded emissions in buildings. Approaches such as LEED certification and the Passive House standard are examined, as well as the integration of energy modeling and advanced simulation tools, which allow for comparing the environmental performance of different construction solutions. The results show that, while energy efficiency has reduced the sector's energy intensity by almost 10% since 2015, demand and total emissions continue to rise due to the growth of the housing stock and the prevalence of carbon intensive materials such as cement and steel, which account for 18% of global emissions. The research reveals that 45% of new architectural projects incorporate sustainable criteria and that the adoption of technologies such as BIM and renewable energy grew by 30% and 25% respectively between 2020 and 2023. However, economic, regulatory, and cultural barriers persist that slow the transition to low carbon architecture. In conclusion, the article highlights that the transformation of architectural design toward sustainability requires coordinated action between public policies, technological innovation, and sectoral education. Only in this way will Res Next Gen Mater Eng 2 it be possible to achieve decarbonization goals and build resilient, healthy cities aligned with global climate commitments.