The UK government’s £200 million investment in the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) cluster in Scotland demonstrates a commitment to decarbonising the built environment. This project highlights the urgent need for whole life carbon assessment in infrastructure projects, as it supports significant reductions in industrial emissions and paves the way for scalable whole life carbon solutions. The focus on low carbon design and embodied carbon in materials sets a benchmark for sustainable construction globally, contributing to net zero whole life carbon ambitions and signalling a shift towards environmental sustainability in construction.

Investor appetite for climate-focused infrastructure continues to grow, as evident from HASI’s pricing of $1 billion in green senior unsecured notes to fund sustainable infrastructure assets. Such financial mechanisms are essential for scaling up green construction and promoting life cycle thinking in construction, with direct implications for sustainable building design and innovative eco-design for buildings. Encouraging long-term investment enables the adoption of low carbon construction materials, supports lifecycle assessment, and drives the growth of energy-efficient buildings worldwide.

The UK government’s call for advice on scaling up nature finance encourages the construction sector to integrate ecosystem services and nature-based solutions into planning and sustainable building practices. By exploring private finance for conservation and restoration, industry and policymakers can work together to develop circular economy in construction initiatives and resource efficiency in construction. These actions will improve the environmental impact of construction and reinforce sustainable material specification throughout the project lifecycle.

Valmont Industries’ 2025 Sustainability Report signals a growing commitment across the industry to reduce the carbon footprint of construction supply chains. Corporate strategies now foreground resource efficiency in construction, sustainable design, and building lifecycle performance, alongside transparent environmental product declarations (EPDs) and low-impact construction practices. The drive towards eco-friendly construction and the use of renewable building materials and green building materials is enabling the sector to adopt robust circular construction strategies and carbon neutral construction targets.

Amidst global discussions at forums such as the UN Ocean Conference, the construction industry faces continued demand to achieve net zero carbon buildings and ensure environmental sustainability in construction. Ongoing debates around climate finance underline the need for low embodied carbon materials, green building products, and life cycle cost analysis to be embedded in every stage of building delivery. Only through joined-up action targeting the reduction of embodied carbon and supporting sustainable urban development can the sector remain aligned with international sustainability goals and contribute meaningfully to carbon footprint reduction.