At COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, the 2025 United Nations climate conference was widely seen as an “implementation COP”. …Here, USGBC shares concrete initiatives from COP 30 for a people-centered transition of the buildings sector and what will shape the agenda in 2026. …Public procurement and low-carbon construction – The ICBC adopted a Global Framework for Action on Sustainable Procurement, recognizing that public spending, around 13–20% of GDP, can serve as a strategic lever to create demand for low-carbon construction materials and practices. By leveraging the purchasing power of national and local governments, policymakers can send the long-term market signals needed to shift the construction sector toward net zero, given that construction and infrastructure together account for the largest share of public authority budgets. Ministers and over 300 stakeholders also endorsed the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction, promoting bio-based, circular building practices and ensuring the sustainable management of wood resources as demand grows.