Kimberly-Clark has introduced green hydrogen boilers across its UK operations, targeting a reduction of 28,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. This shift highlights the increasing role of low carbon construction materials and resource efficiency in construction, and signals how large-scale manufacturers must consider embodied carbon and whole life carbon in their operations to align with broader decarbonising the built environment goals. It reflects how energy-intensive industries are now integrating low carbon design into core processes to reduce the environmental impact of construction-related supply chains.

The adaptive reuse of Glasgow’s historic Teacher building into serviced apartments demonstrates the importance of sustainable construction through retrofit. By preserving existing structures, this project illustrates how sustainable building design and eco-design for buildings can reduce embodied carbon in materials and extend building lifecycle performance. Such examples support circular construction strategies by prioritising reuse and minimising new carbon-intensive builds, reinforcing that whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment are becoming essential tools in refurbishment projects.

The approval of Gatwick Airport’s runway expansion raises questions about sustainable building practices in infrastructure development. The challenge will be whether new works align with net zero whole life carbon principles and life cycle thinking in construction. The sector closely monitors whether major infrastructure can deliver low embodied carbon materials and carbon neutral construction, ensuring that the carbon footprint of construction is visibly managed within the context of environmental sustainability in construction.

In the United States, Nofar USA’s development of over 1 GW of solar projects underlines the scale at which low carbon building and energy-efficient buildings must expand. Construction companies will be required to demonstrate integration of renewable building materials and green infrastructure to support this energy transition. The ability to embed life cycle cost and whole life carbon assessment into such large-scale builds will define the environmental impact of construction at pace.

The announcement that all toothpaste tubes in the UK are now recyclable has implications for the circular economy in construction. Repurposing plastics into green building products, piping, or furniture supports eco-friendly construction and end-of-life reuse in construction. This small but significant material innovation connects consumer products with sustainable material specification in building, demonstrating how green building materials and circular economy in construction can move mainstream.

Overall, recent developments reveal a sector under mounting pressure to prioritise sustainable design alongside lifecycle assessment practices. From heritage refurbishments to recyclable materials, the industry is testing circular construction strategies and net zero carbon targets. Clear focus on whole life carbon and embodied carbon is defining the future of sustainable building practices and shaping a pathway toward more resilient, carbon neutral construction worldwide.