UN Sustainable Development Goals and Goal 13 in Construction

The Sustainable Development Goals, adopted at the UN Summit on Sustainable Development, serve as guiding lighthouses for all countries in meeting humanity’s current needs while considering the interests of future generations, particularly their need for a safe and healthy environment. Therefore, mastering the techniques to achieve these goals is an essential skill for future scientists, whose research must help ensure the country’s sustainable development. Achieving Goal 13 – mitigating the effects of climate change – is a direct responsibility of ecologists and specialists in environmental protection technologies.

The course is comprehensive and wide-ranging. It covers the general conditions and background to the emergence of anthropogenic climate change, specifically the history of urbanisation in the context of scientific and technological development and its impact on the environment. The focus will then shifted to the construction industry as one of the oldest sectors, which emerged even before people appeared, and which is now both suffering from and accelerating climate change, thereby involved in a vicious circle of negative changes. After that, attention will be paid to the only possible solution – the transition to a sustainable society based on the 17 goals set by the international community and the ESG principles of business.

Subsequently, particular attention is paid to innovative strategies and technologies for breaking the vicious circle of the sector’s climate-related problems. International experience and national characteristics of the transition from energy-intensive construction to ‘Energy Plus’ buildings are examined. Finally, the concept of green construction is considered a comprehensive construction strategy that combines human and environmental friendliness whilst taking into account the needs of future generations.

The key condition for a successful transition, which lies beyond the technical sphere, is shown. This is the rejection of a consumer society, which is characterised by a desire for boundless consumption, completely devalues the human being as such, and makes their value entirely dependent on external attributes.

The programme is designed to develop professional competencies in strategic planning, research, teaching, and innovation for sustainable development, with a view to realising the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing them at various levels – organisational, community, city, and national.

Through studying the material provided, students acquire the knowledge and skills required to research and develop innovative solutions and to implement the transition to sustainable development in practice, with a view to meeting humanity’s current needs whilst ensuring the well-being of future generations.