VELUX at COP27

VELUX is at COP27 with the purpose to keep the momentum and focus on the built environment. 

VELUX will contribute to key discussions on how the construction sector can adapt to and mitigate climate change, and how the sector can meet the Paris agreement. 

The objective is to support a stronger focus on buildings and climate from a lifecycle perspective, including carbon reduction, sustainability and topics around circularity and health issues. 

Focus on the built environment was initiated at COP21 in Paris with the UN Global Building Alliance, and continued at COP26 in Glasgow with the City and Built environment day and Building Pavilion. At this COP, VELUX aims to create greater awareness of solutions that can accelerate the transition the construction sector needs to take during the next decade. 

Here is an overview of VELUX Group's presence at COP27 in Sharm-El Sheik, including event topics, locations and links. 

Title: Decarbonising the building stock by carbon requirements to buildings  

Time: Tuesday, 8 November 14:30-15:30 EET (CET 13:30-14:30 CET)  

Location: Buildings Pavilion, Auditorium 

Topic: Buildings are responsible for 36% of the global CO2 emissions which need to be reduced by 50% before 2030 if we want to meet the Paris agreement.  

Therefore, driven by regulations, Nearly Zero Carbon buildings must become standard before 2030. The European Commission has pushed for all European countries to set a requirement for a maximum amount of CO2 emissions from buildings, with a few countries already in front. This panel session will discuss among researchers, industry, and architects the need for carbon requirements and carbon product declarations to new build, how to implement them into legislations as done in Denmark and other countries, as well as how designers and architects use a lifecycle perspective and LCA calculations to guide investors in their decision process.  

Speakers: Harpa Birgisdottir, Professor on Sustainability of Buildings at BUILD at Aalborg University Denmark; Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Sustainable Energy for All and World Green Building Council; Jo da Silva, Global Director of Sustainable Development, Arup; Lone Feifer, Director Sustainable Buildings, VELUX 

Join event: COP27 Buildings Pavilion auditorium / Globalabc

Title: CEO roundtable on developing a joint plan of action to decarbonise the buildings system    

Time: Tuesday, 8 November 16:30 – 18:00 EET (15:30 – 17:00 CET)   

Location: Buildings Pavilion, Blue Zone 

Topic: Representing nearly 40% of global energy-related emissions and 50% of extracted materials, decarbonising the built environment is urgent to reach the 1.5C ambition. With a focus on ‘whole-life carbon mitigation’, we are inviting those leaders and organisations who are stepping up behind the net-zero buildings commitment: 

• By 2030, 100% of new buildings must be net-zero carbon ready in operation 
• Embodied carbon must be reduced by at least 40%  
• By 2050, all new and existing assets must be net zero across the whole life cycle

The Buildings CEO Roundtable will address the biggest barriers for joint climate efforts in the building sector, interdependencies through partnerships across Scope 3, must win battles to accelerate and operationalise our vision, and having a united front at COP27 of elevating the buildings sector as a key contributor to the Paris Climate Agreement. 

Speakers: Bex Porter, Built Environment Lead, UN Climate Champions Team; Alan Belfield, Chairman of Arup Group; Benoit Bazin, CEO of Saint-Gobain; Lars Petersson CEO of the VELUX Group; Roland Hunziker, Co-chair of GlobalABC and Director, Sustainable Buildings & Cities, WBSCD; Niklas Hagelberg, UNEP (TBC); Tomas Brannemo, President, Europe Region, Johnson Controls; Paul Warton, Executive Vice President, Hydro Extrusions, Norsk Hydro (TBC); Mike Pierce, Executive Director of Systems Change, Climate Group; Johnny Wates, NED of Wates Group and Ambassador to the World Benchmarking Alliance (TBC) moderated by Sally Uren, CEO, Forum for the Future 

View the programme / GlobalABC 

Title: Net-zero built environment 

Time: Wednesday, 9 November 12:30 – 13:30 EET (11.30 – 12.30 CET) 

Location: Danish Pavilion 

Topic: The built environment accounts for 37% of global emissions, the vast majority coming from construction and operation. Left unchecked, these figures will continue to grow. Operation-related emissions from buildings are set to increase by ~30% between now and 2030. Meanwhile, rising global population, urbanization, and growing infrastructure development needs will significantly drive-up demand for materials – for instance, global cement production is set to grow by up to a quarter by 2050.  

The transition towards net zero is critically needed and is picking up speed – but much more scale and speed is needed. This side event will discuss ways to transition the built environment towards net zero and dramatically reduce CO2 emissions. It will discuss what actions can be taken from corporate leaders, what is needed from local, national and global governance, and what solutions can bring all parties to the scale of transformation in the BE that is needed.  

Panel: Mikkel Bülow Lehnsby, Chairman and Co-founder of NREP; Harpa Birgisdottir, Professor on Sustainability of Buildings at BUILD at Aalborg University Denmark; Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Sustainable Energy for All and World Green Building Council; Caroline Ray, Regional Director, East Africa, ARUP (TBC) 

View the programme / State of Green

Title: UNEP Global status report on buildings

Time: Wednesday, 9 November 14:00 – 15:00 EET (13:00 – 14:00 CET)   

Location: Building Pavilion 

Topic: UN Global Building Alliance will present their 2022 Global Status report for Buildings and Construction, once again taking stock of developments in meeting the Paris Agreement Goals. Join the session to listen about the status of the transition to a net-zero carbon, energy-efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector. 

Join event: COP27 Buildings Pavilion auditorium / Globalabc

 Title: Education and skills in the green transition of the building sector  

Time: Thursday, 10 November at 15:00 – 15:45 EET (14:00-14:45 CET)   

Location: Danish Pavilion  

Topic: Panel debate on the need for education and skills in the green transition of the building sector, how to educate people to learn and understand the consequences of different materials, how to calculate CO2, etc. 

Panel: Harpa Birgisdottir, Professor on Sustainability of Buildings at BUILD at Aalborg University Denmark; Kurt Emil Eriksen, Senior Public Affairs Management, VELUX Group; Vere Shaba, Head of Programme, WorldGBC (TBC); Nadia Gullestrup Christensen, Chair at the Danish Youth Climate Council, Danish Youth and EU Youth delegate to the UN 

View the programme / State of Green

Title: How to build energy-resilient cities 

Time: Thursday, 10 November at 17:00 – 21:00 EET (16:00-20:00 CET)   

Location: Nordic Pavilion  

Topic: We’re in the midst of the worst energy crisis in decades. Energy prices are skyrocketing, and many countries and cities are asking themselves not if, but when they will run out of resources. The war in Ukraine and a global scarcity of resources has resulted in a situation where security issues are intertwined with climate and energy policies. How do we navigate this situation without resorting to fossil fuels? How do we build energy-resilient cities?  

Join us when VELUX participates in the panel session ‘Resilience and leadership’ at round 18:45-19:45 EET (17:45-18:45 CET). 

Panel: Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen,Vice President & Head of Public Affairs, Danfoss; Casper Kirketerp-Møller, CEO at Clever; Anthony Abbotts, Director Group Public Affairs & Sustainability, ROCKWOOL; Kurt Emil Eriksen, Senior Public Affairs Management, VELUX Group; Ilsabe von Campenhausen, BmW Foundation; Kerstin von Aretin, Program Lead, RISE Cities; Raffaela Grimm, Program Manager, RISE Cities 

Join event: Nordic COP27 Pavilion / Nordic Co-operation 

Title: Beyond value chain mitigation - pathway for corporate to unlock low carbon innovation and partnership 

Time: Friday, 11.11.2022 at 9:00-9:50 EET (08:00 – 08:50 CET) 

Location: Danish Pavilion  

Topic: While decarbonising a company’s value chain is in line with science, and reaching Near-Term and Net-Zero emissions by mid-century is tremendously important, it is also increasingly becoming the minimum societal expectation for companies. (SBTi BVCM FAQ). Currently, Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) is a voluntary component as set by the SBTi. Companies can seize opportunities to accelerate innovative solutions the world needs to transition to a low carbon economy, as well as to address the ecological crisis – all beyond their value chains. This event will define BCVM and showcase examples of companies that are already taking these steps to show others how this could be incorporated into their net zero strategies.

Speakers: Geraldine Lin Bagger, Climate Director, Grundfos; Kurt Emil Eriksen, Senior Public Affairs Manager, VELUX Group; Josefina Brana-Varela, VP and Deputy Lead Forests, WWF-US; Pauline Op de Beeck, Head of Sales Europe, Carbon Trust 

View the programme / State of Green

Title: Decarbonising the building stock

Time: Friday, 11.11.2022 at 11:00 – 12:00 EET (10:00 – 11:00 CET) 

Location: Danish Pavilion  

Topic: The built environment accounts for 37% of global emissions, where 27% stems from buildings in operation and 10% stems from manufacturing of building materials. Operation-related emissions from buildings can be managed by energy efficiency requirements, growing the renovation rates, and implementing renewable energy into the grids. However, a rising global population and urbanization is expected to double the built area between 2020 and 2060, and this will significantly drive-up demand for materials. This issue needs to be tackled with a reduction of minimum 40% embedded carbon before 2030 to meet net zero carbon in the built environment by 2050. Some of the first countries to set threshold values for CO2 are Denmark and France, with many other countries moving forward with the same focus. This side event will discuss how to transform the built environment towards net zero, give a status update, and provide examples for how to reach the long-term targets through ambitions.  

Panel: Harpa Birgisdottir, Professor on Sustainability of Buildings at BUILD at Aalborg University Denmark; Elizabeth Wangeci Chege, Sustainable Energy for All and World Green Building Council; Nigel Tonks, Director, Region Board Member and the Sustainable Development Lead for the UK, India, Middle East and Africa at Arup 

View the programme / State of Green

Title: UNEP Global status report on buildings

Time: Friday, 11 November at 14:30 – 15:00 EET (13:30-14:00)   

Location: Danish Pavilion  

Topic: At the Danish Pavilion, UN Global Building Alliance will present their 2022 Global Status report for Buildings and Construction in an interactive session with the audience. Join the session and listen to a status update on the last years development in: energy demands for buildings, CO2 emissions from buildings, the average use of energy per m2, and the building tracker.  

View the programme / State of Green

Title: In the studio  

Time: Friday, 11.11.2022 at 15:30-16:30 EET (14:30- 15:30 CET)   

Location: Building Pavilion  

View the programme / GlobalABC 

Title: New partnerships that work for people and planet: linking livelihoods and nature-based solutions  

Time: Friday, 11.11.2022 at 17:30-18:30 EET (16:30-17:30 CET)  

Location: EU Virtual Pavilion    

Topic: In the wake of increased interest and pledges from both the public and private sectors to scale nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate action, it is time to go beyond the usual forms of collaboration. The event showcases global partnerships between most different partners uniting for the implementation of high-impact solutions for climate mitigation, adaptation, and livelihood creation. The event provides a platform to showcase challenges, opportunities, and lessons from projects when blending NbS with active civil society engagement and local government to form partnerships.  

Panel: Deborah Asikeit Cities Alliance Country Programme Manager, Uganda; Sarah Nandudu, Vice Chairperson of the National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda (NSDFU) and Deputy Chair of the Board of Slum Dwellers International (SDI); Jamie Rusby, Global Sustainability Director, VELUX Group; Simon Peter Weredwong, Conservation Programme Manager, WWF Uganda, moderated by Greg Munro, Director of Cities Alliances  

Join event: Register for the event at COPeusideevents.com

Title: Green growth partnership roundtable: How the EU public and private sector can work together to deliver global leadership on climate ambition and energy security

Time: Tuesday, 15.11.2022 at 09:15 – 10:45 EET (08:15- 10:45 CET)   

Location: We Mean Business Coalitions Pavilion  

Jamie Rusby, Sustainability Director, will be presenting VELUX in the discussion. 

Title: VELUX Roundtable: Decarbonising the buildings system – How do we move from target setting to collective impact in decarbonising the buildings value-chain 

Time: Tuesday, 15 November at 10.30 – 12.00 EET (09:30-11:00 CET)   

Location: Building Pavilion  

Speakers: Richard Rugg, Managing Director of Programmes and Innovation, Carbon Trust; Bex Porter, Built Environment Lead, UN Climate Champions Team; Jamie Rusby, Sustainability Director, VELUX; Smith Mordak, former RIBA Council member, member of the RIBA’s Climate Expert Advisory Group

View the programme / GlobalABC 

Title: In the studio  

Time: Tuesday, 15 November at 15.00-16.00 EET (14:00- 15:00 CET)   

Location: Building Pavilion  

Topic: Studio session where VELUX will be interviewing Sustainability Director, Jamie Rusby and other to learn about their expectations on week 2 of COP27 and their take on sector reduction of scope 3. 

View the programme / GlobalABC 

Title: Mobilising ambition loops to decarbonise the built environment

Time: Wednesday, 16 November at 10.30 – 11.30 EET (09:30– 10.30 CET)  

Location: Buildings Pavilion, Virtual session  

Topic: By 2060 the world’s building stock will double and almost 70% of the global population is projected to live in urban areas. With a focus on ‘whole-life carbon mitigation’, the sector’s leading actors are mobilising behind the net-zero buildings commitment: By 2030, 100% of new buildings must be net-zero carbon ready in operation and embodied carbon must be reduced by at least 40%, and by 2050, all new and existing assets must be net zero across the whole life cycle.  

Join us for an interactive discussion with ambitious actors in the buildings sector on how we come together through deep collaboration and joint action to decarbonise the built environment. Explore what types of ambition loops we need between business and governments to create a thriving and resilient buildings sector poised for a net-zero economy. 

Speakers: Morten Helveg Petersen: MEP, Member of the Renew Europe Group, deputy chairman of the ITRE Committee (invited); Richard Rugg, Managing Director of Programmes and Innovation, Carbon Trust; Victoria Kate Burrows, Director Advancing Net Zero, World Green Buildings Council; John Kornerup Bang, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Transformation, Stora Enso; Jamie Rusby, Group Director Sustainability, VELUX Group; Duncan Baker-Brown, Council member, co-chair of Climate Expert Advisory Group, RIBA; International Energy Agency (invited) 

Join event:

Live from COP27 Buildings Pavilion auditorium / Globalabc  

Register for the event

Title: Co-existence with nature 

Time: Wednesday, 16 November at 14:30 – 15:30 EET (13:30-14:30 CET)   

Location: The Nordic Pavilion  

Topic: COP26 concluded we can’t solve the climate crisis without nature. How can nature-based solutions protect biodiversity and help us decarbonise? At this panel debate, leading researchers, industry experts and international organisations discuss the potential of nature-based solutions to simultaneously address the climate and biodiversity crises. Join us at this session and hear about Nordic experiences, beyond value-chain mitigation, and co-existence between renewable energy and nature. Opening remarks will be provided by the Minister of Environment, Industry and Trade of the Faroe Islands. 

Speakers: Magnus Rasmussen, Minister of Climate and Trade of Faroe Island; Leonard Sandin, Research Manager, Norwegian Institute for Water Research; Jamie Rusby, Global Sustainability Director, VELUX Group; Marte Rusten, Principal Consultant Environmental Risk and Preparedness, DNV Group; Rachel Asante, Programme Manager Climate Change in Centre for Economy and Finance, International Union for Conservation of Nature, moderated by Nadia Gullestrup Christensen, Chair at the Danish Youth Climate Council, Danish Youth and EU Youth delegate to the UN 

Join event:  Nordic COP27 Pavilion / Nordic Co-operation 

Title: COP27 Thematic session: 2030 is today - how we can act NOW to halve built environment emissions by 2030

Time: Wednesday, 16 November at 13:30-16:30 EET (12:30-15:30 CET) 

Location: Building Pavilion  

Topic: The building and construction sector is responsible for approx. 40% of the global energy related carbon emissions. To achieve a net zero built environment no later than 2050, we need to halve current emissions from 14Gt to 7Gt per year by 2030. This requires having a systemic approach to reduce the entire whole life carbon emissions, by strongly reducing operational and embodied carbon emissions. What does this mean, how can it be done in practice and who is doing it? This thematic session will provide an overview of leading initiatives and leaders, provide clarity on terminologies, demonstrate the actions beyond the ambitions, showcasing implementable solutions and providing clear indications of ways forward. We need to start building now what we need for 2030. 2030 is today. Read the full program here.  

Join us when VELUX participates in the panel session focusing on how to enable change in the sector at around 15:45-16:15 EET (14:45-15:15 CET).  

Panel: Will be announced soon  

Join event: COP27 Buildings Pavilion auditorium / Globalabc

Title: SBTi targets – turning Scope 3 ambitions into action  

Time: Thursday, 17 November at 10:30 – 11:30 EET (09:30 – 10:30 CET)   

Location: Nordic Pavilion 

Topic: How can companies across industries set SBTi targets to meet the Paris Agreement and move beyond their commitments to achieve their reduction targets? Delivering on carbon emission reductions in Scope 3 is widely recognized as the main challenge for the manufacturing sector. Companies must work together in finding common solutions to common challenges. It is vital we move beyond target setting and address how we turn ambition into action.  

This panel will discuss solutions to meet the Paris Agreement for industries across all sectors; solutions to reduce emissions in the value chain by working together with suppliers, customers; guidance on how industries can work with NGOs like Carbon Trust to set and meet Science Based Targets.  

Panel: Pauline Op de Beeck, Head of Sales, Carbon Trust; Jamie Rusby, Group Director Sustainability, VELUX Group; Martin Wiese, Vice President and Head of Sustainability & Government Affairs, HEMPEL A/S 

Join event: Nordic COP27 Pavilion / Nordic Co-operation  

Title: VELUX Roundtable: Zero emission buildings in building legislation and NDC. Urge countries to set ambitious decarbonisation targets for the built environment. 

Time: Thursday, 17 November at 12:00 - 13:30 EET (11:00- 12:30 CET)   

Location: Building Pavilion 

View the programme / GlobalABC 

Title: SBTi targets – turning Scope 3 ambitions into action  

Time: Thursday, 17 November at 14:00 – 15:00 EET (13:00 – 14:00 CET)   

Location: Danish Pavilion  

Topic: How can companies across industries set SBTi targets to meet the Paris Agreement and move beyond their commitments to achieve their reduction targets? Delivering on carbon emission reductions in Scope 3 is widely recognized as the main challenge for the manufacturing sector. Companies must work together in finding common solutions to common challenges. It is vital we move beyond target setting and address how we turn ambition into action. 

This panel will discuss solutions to meet the Paris Agreement for industries across all sectors; solutions to reduce emissions in the value chain by working together with suppliers and customers, guidance on how industries can work with NGOs like Carbon Trust to set, and how to meet Science Based Targets.  

Panel: Pauline Op de Beeck, Head of Sales, Carbon Trust; Jamie Rusby, Group Director Sustainability, VELUX Group; Martin Wiese, Vice President and Head of Sustainability & Government Affairs, HEMPEL A/S  

View the programme / State of Green

VELUX Contact details 

On site at COP27 (7^th of November – 17^th of November) 

Kurt Emil Eriksen, Senior Public Affairs Manager 

kurt.emil.eriksen@velux.com 

tlf.: +45 23 20 01 41 

On site at COP27 (15^th of November – 17^th of November) 

Jamie Rusby, Sustainability Director  

james.rusby@velux.com 

Press on site (9^th of November – 16^th of November) 

Yvette Roper, Global Media Relations Manager 

yvette.roper@velux.com  

tlf.: +45 30 47 59 42