The concept of sustainable construction is familiar to 86% of Romanians, well above the European average, which stands at 69%, according to the 2026 edition of the Sustainable Construction Barometer, published by the Saint-Gobain Sustainable Construction Observatory.

Globally, the degree of familiarity with this concept stabilized in 2026, so that 67% of stakeholders declare that they clearly understand what it entails, and 94% have heard of sustainable construction at least once.

In this context, Romania stands out for its significant level of information: 86% of respondents in the field declare that they are familiar with this concept, compared to the European average of 69%.

The level of familiarity with sustainable construction is also high among the general population, where 65% of respondents declare that they are familiar with this concept. By comparison, the global average is 39%, the European average is 33%, while in other European markets, such as the Czech Republic, the share drops to only 14%.

According to the cited source, despite a high level of familiarity with the concept of sustainable construction, Romanian respondents who have a connection to the field have a lower understanding of the concrete elements that define this concept, compared to the European average. In this sense, only 44% associate sustainable construction with reducing the carbon footprint of buildings, compared to 69% at European level.

At the same time, significant differences are observed in other essential practices: the use of local materials (31% vs. 56%), prioritizing the renovation of existing buildings (31% vs. 59%), reusing materials (39% vs. 69%) and recycling them (34% vs. 67%).

Official data reveals that 72% of Romanian respondents consider that building more sustainably is a clear priority, compared to 63% globally.

The barometer highlights the fact that 47% of stakeholders believe that the field of sustainable construction creates more value than traditional construction, an assessment that remains too fragile, especially in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

For the first time since its launch, in 2023, the Sustainable Construction Barometer includes an international qualitative study, focused on adaptation and resilience, conducted among those working in the financial sector – commercial banks, development banks and insurers.

This new component complements the annual international quantitative survey (4,800 stakeholders and 30,000 citizens from 30 countries).