How can our urban spaces be made more climate-resilient?

Inform your discussions and decisions this week. Cities generate much of the world's economic output—and carbon emissions. They contribute up to 70% of total CO₂ emissions, which come chiefly from the industrial processes that forge their steel and cement, and also from the energy that runs them day-to-day.

One way to curb the energy demand of existing buildings—and avoid the emissions tied to erecting new ones—is retrofitting: upgrading the structures and infrastructure we already rely on. But retrofitting has long been overlooked because its benefits are poorly understood. Its upfront costs often seem high and combining modern systems with ageing buildings can be fraught with technical difficulties. Our latest report—Radical retrofit: adapting cities for a resilient future—explores what retrofitting can ideally achieve, drawing on a survey of 1,000 senior urban-development leaders in 12 big cities, alongside interviews with developers, investors and tenants.

The report finds that retrofitting has gathered momentum in twelve cities in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East: Berlin, Delhi, Dubai, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York City, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. Seven in ten executives working in urban redevelopment note that over the past three years, attention has shifted from building anew towards upgrading existing buildings. They attribute this to tighter energy-efficiency regulations, public grants and tax relief that all encourage retrofitting, as well as rising investor demand for sustainability-certified buildings.

The benefits of retrofitting extend beyond sustainability. Upgrading existing buildings offers health benefits to residents and employees, thanks to improved ventilation and insulation, which lead to better air quality and less exposure to mould. Retrofitting helps owners too: more than half note that it drives higher property values.

Despite such benefits, the global retrofit rate, defined as the share of the existing building stock that is retrofitted each year, is low, at 1% a year. Our report outlines six pathways to increase retrofitting around the world.

Also in this issue, watch our conversation with Adair Turner, chair of the Energy Transitions Commission, on how modern grids and buildings are vital for a net-zero energy system. You can also find out how micromobility is reshaping city environments in our conversation with Andrew Savage, co-founder of Lime, an American bike-rental firm with more than 200,000 bikes in 280 cities. Plus, explore how cities can modernise ageing transport systems by integrating different modes of travel to boost convenience.

Cities that are designed for both environmental efficiency and people’s needs are cleaner, healthier and more pleasant places to live and work. Retrofitting is an often overlooked approach. Our latest research programme, Radical retrofit: adapting cities for a resilient future, explores the main drivers, obstacles and pathways shaping retrofit efforts globally.

The US power grid is at an inflection point. A combination of extreme weather events, fragmented oversight and unprecedented load growth has pushed this critical piece of infrastructure to the edge of its capabilities. Explore an interactive 3D model laying out the technologies and policies shaping America's future energy infrastructure.

Our research and analysis explores what’s needed to transform cities so they can be more resilient and prosperous.