Carbon Footprint of Global Construction Industries: A Cross-Country Analysis of Emissions, Drivers, and the Construction Carbon Sustainability Index (1990–2023)

In this study, construction-related carbon emissions were evaluated across different countries, utilizing 7038 observations from 1990 to 2023. Building and cement production data were combined with economic and demographic indicators to perform descriptive analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and multiple regression modeling for emission driver identification and the development of the Construction Carbon Sustainability Index (CCSI). The results of this study demonstrate that cement production, combined with building activities, generates the most significant emissions, while population expansion and urban growth patterns create the highest levels of emission intensity. The two main components from the PCA explain more than 80% of national emission patterns through their combination of “Cement and Building Emission Intensity” and “Economic and Urban Development Drivers.” The CCSI shows that OECD and G20 nations achieve the best construction sustainability results, whereas China and India produce the most carbon emissions due to their rapid development, which relies heavily on resource utilization. The findings demonstrate that sustainable construction requires both production efficiency improvements and policy reforms to establish a global standard for construction sector growth that meets net-zero emission targets.