The global construction industry spent $13.57 trillion in 2023. But as architect Michael Green argues, that figure doesn't begin to cover the real costs—to our planet or our communities.

In his TEDx Victoria talk, Green unpacks the hidden environmental and social toll of how we build, and what it means for the future.

Green challenges the construction industry to look beyond the balance sheet. While buildings shape our cities and lives, the materials and methods we use carry consequences that rarely appear in project budgets: carbon emissions, resource depletion, and impacts on community wellbeing.

This isn't Green's first time on the TED stage. His previous talks, "Why We Should Build Wooden Skyscrapers" (2012) and "The Natural Building Blocks of Sustainable Architecture" (2023), have positioned him as a leading voice for rethinking how we construct our world.

Michael Green is an award-winning architect, speaker, and author dedicated to creating sustainably built environments that benefit people and planet. A pioneer in wood and bio-based construction, he has completed some of the world's most significant timber buildings.

His firm has received over 50 international awards, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Firm of the Year and four Governor General's Medals for design excellence.

As the construction industry faces growing pressure to decarbonise, Green's message is timely: we need to account for the true cost of building—and innovate accordingly.

Watch the full talk on YouTube: TEDx Talks – "The True Cost of Construction"