Architecture’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals represent the aspiration of the people of the United Nations for a sustainable future. The Goals define the challenges we need to face and address together in order to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The global agendas addressed by the goals include poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, health, peace and justice.

The built environment, planning, architecture and design interact with every Goal. And crucially: not just on an aspirational level or as future potential, but through actual buildings, settlements and cities all over the world. Architectural solutions are already there, everywhere, contributing to sustainable communities and quality of life. However, the built environment is also part of current challenges – a major consumer of energy and natural resources, and a producer of waste. Furthermore, how we build can exacerbate inequalities and affect health.

This chapter describes how the built environment interacts with the Goals and is structured Goal-by-Goal, with an overarching outline of how each Goal interacts with the built environment. First, though, comes a short introduction to the overarching value of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; “Leave No One Behind”.