Accelerating efforts toward environmental sustainability in construction are reshaping global building practices. The industry’s shift toward a circular economy is moving beyond rhetoric as leading contractors embed reuse and recycling into their business models. McLaren’s integration of circular construction strategies signals that barriers to end-of-life reuse in construction are increasingly cultural rather than technical, marking an evolution in sustainable building practices. Institutional acceptance of material recovery is redefining the carbon footprint of construction and aligning with the principles of Whole Life Carbon Assessment and lifecycle assessment.

Research presented at the ASBP Reuse Summit highlights that life cycle thinking in construction must extend beyond energy metrics to include embodied carbon in materials, toxic content, and long-term health impacts. The rising use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) and sustainable material specification frameworks is driving more transparent evaluation of low carbon construction materials. Pinewood Structures’ adoption of SterlingOSB Zero illustrates how renewable building materials with low embodied carbon can enhance energy-efficient buildings and support eco-design for buildings that comply with BREEAM and align with net zero whole life carbon ambitions.

The global survey by Parsons Healthy Materials Lab reveals that sustainable building design now prioritises reducing embodied carbon while safeguarding occupant health. Future regulations are expected to integrate toxicology assessments into Whole Life Carbon and Life Cycle Cost methodologies, redefining green building materials and building lifecycle performance to strengthen low carbon design integrity.

Across emerging economies, sustainable construction and sustainable urban development are becoming tools of climate equity. African leaders at COP30 have underscored that achieving net zero carbon buildings demands structural finance and technology transfer under a just transition model. Decarbonising the built environment in these regions will depend on resource efficiency in construction, eco-friendly construction models, and green infrastructure that support renewable and low-impact construction pathways.

The sustainability transition is reframing both design and delivery. By embedding Circular Economy in construction principles and focusing on carbon neutral construction throughout the supply chain, the sector moves closer to verifiable carbon footprint reduction and the creation of truly sustainable architecture.