But the document recognises that it is not the construction of buildings that uses up the most energy: typically more than 80% of the total energy consumption in the lifetime of a building takes place during the use of buildings and less than 20% during construction.
With this in mind, the report pushes for greater use of existing technologies such as thermal insulation, solar shading and more efficient lighting and electrical appliances, as well as the importance of educational and awareness campaigns.
Citing the example of Europe, SBCI says more than one-fifth of present energy consumption and up to 45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year could be saved by 2010 by applying more ambitious standards to new and existing buildings.
"The savings that can be made right now are potentially huge and the costs to implement them relatively low if sufficient numbers of governments, industries, businesses and consumers act," said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director.
By some conservative estimates, the building sector worldwide could deliver emission reductions of 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. A more aggressive energy efficiency policy might deliver over two billion tonnes, or close to three times the amount scheduled to be reduced under the Kyoto Protocol.
Steiner welcomes the fact that several countries, including Australia, Cuba and the European Union, are looking to phase out or ban the traditional incandescent light bulb. The International Energy Agency estimates that a total global switch to compact fluorescent bulbs would in 2010 deliver carbon dioxide savings of 470 million tonnes or slightly over half of the Kyoto reductions. "We have to ask what the hurdles are - if any - to achieving such positive low-cost change and set about decisively and swiftly to overcome them, if they exist at all," said Steiner.
"To achieve improved energy efficiency in buildings you often do not need to use advanced and expensive high-tech solutions, but simple solutions such as smart design, flexible energy solutions and provision of appropriate information to the building users," said Olivier Luneau, SBCI Chairman and Director for sustainability at Lafarge.
The SBCI is an international partnership to "green" the multi-billion dollar building and construction sector. Launched one year ago in conjunction with UNEP, it now has some thirty members including some of the biggest names in the business such as Lafarge, Skanska and Arcelor.