The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) will launch the 10th edition of the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025-2026 on 19 May, a flagship assessment examining one of the defining challenges of this decade: how to transform a rapidly expanding, emissions-intensive buildings and construction sector so it can decarbonise, adapt to escalating climate risks and remain affordable Produced by UNEP and GlobalABC, the report provides a comprehensive overview of global progress in the buildings and construction sector, tracking policies, technologies and investment against a 2050 net‑zero pathway.
Sustainable construction is moving beyond operational emissions towards whole life carbon, embodied carbon, nature, waste, grid capacity and building lifecycle performance. UN biodiversity talks have underlined that environmental sustainability in construction cannot rely on “nature-positive” claims without finance, stronger regulation and action on harmful subsidies. Planning, procurement and investor scrutiny are set to place greater weight on the environmental impact of construction, including embodied carbon in materials, ecological damage and the carbon footprint of construction across the full asset life.
The UK circular economy is becoming a commercial driver for low carbon design and sustainable building practices. WRAP’s estimate that stronger circular measures could add more than £93bn in gross value and support 550,000 jobs strengthens the business case for life cycle thinking in construction, resource efficiency in construction and end-of-life reuse in construction. Designing for repair, reuse and material recovery is central to circular economy in construction, reducing demolition waste while improving life cycle cost, lifecycle assessment outcomes and whole life carbon assessment. Birmingham’s new recycling and reuse hub shows the type of infrastructure needed to support circular construction strategies at scale.
Energy infrastructure is becoming critical to net zero carbon buildings and decarbonising the built environment. Approval for National Grid’s 2GW Sea Link between Suffolk and Kent supports electrification, heat pumps, electric construction processes and lower-carbon operation, strengthening the foundations for energy-efficient buildings and net zero carbon delivery. Grid expansion remains essential if sustainable urban development and carbon footprint reduction are to move from ambition to dependable performance.
Research from the University of Surrey reinforces the role of sustainable building design, eco-design for buildings and sustainable architecture in healthier, more efficient interiors. Indoor plants and living walls can improve air quality and reduce cooling demand, supporting passive design, green infrastructure and low-impact construction. Biophilic design is not a substitute for fabric-first retrofit, low embodied carbon materials, environmental product declarations (EPDs) or robust sustainable material specification, but it is increasingly part of the same whole life carbon conversation.
The direction of travel is clear: green construction is shifting from niche specification to operating model. Net zero whole life carbon, BREEAM, BREEAM v7, renewable building materials, green building materials and low carbon construction materials are becoming core considerations for developers seeking resilient, low carbon building performance. The future of eco-friendly construction will be defined by whole life carbon assessment, circular economy delivery, credible lifecycle assessment and transparent decisions that cut the carbon footprint of construction while improving long-term value.
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