The construction sector is accelerating its transition toward sustainable construction, with tangible progress emerging in the drive toward net zero carbon buildings and decarbonising the built environment. At the edie Net-Zero Awards 2025, Balfour Beatty’s success reflected a growing emphasis on embodied carbon reduction across major infrastructure projects. The company’s strategy integrates whole life carbon assessment methods to measure emissions throughout project lifecycles, aligning commercial gains with measurable climate outcomes. Such recognition marks a significant shift toward environmental sustainability in construction, where life cycle thinking in construction and resource efficiency in construction now define competitive advantage.

The challenge ahead lies in addressing the sector’s skills gap and material transformation needs. The Caxton Group’s launch of a training academy with Salutem demonstrates a focus on sustainable building practices and the promotion of eco-friendly construction methodologies. Modern training frameworks now teach practical applications of low carbon construction materials, renewable building materials, and circular economy in construction principles. Developing a skilled workforce capable of conducting whole life carbon calculations and lifecycle assessment ensures the industry can deliver low carbon design and sustainable architecture at scale.

Emissions transparency is expanding beyond energy use to less obvious hotspots. Refrigerants within HVAC systems are being scrutinised for their contribution to the carbon footprint of construction. Though often absent from traditional whole life carbon reporting, these fugitive gases significantly distort the environmental impact of construction. As sustainable building design evolves, specifiers are embedding environmental product declarations (EPDs) and adopting BREEAM v7 frameworks to ensure comprehensive performance measurement. By coupling eco-design for buildings with end-of-life reuse in construction, developers are moving toward circular construction strategies that actively reduce waste and embedded emissions.

Economic analyses reinforce that resilience and adaptability underpin long-term value. A recent global report confirmed that investments in climate adaptation deliver fourfold returns, highlighting the link between life cycle cost efficiency and green infrastructure. Evaluating building lifecycle performance through whole life carbon assessment is now essential for investors and policymakers seeking to balance resilience with profitability. The adoption of low carbon building technologies and carbon neutral construction is increasingly supported by green building materials certification schemes that quantify impact and ensure confidence in sustainability claims.

Innovation continues to attract funding as the Earthshot Prize expands its reach, with new investments fuelling research in sustainable material specification and circular economy solutions. Early-stage ventures focused on eco-friendly construction and low embodied carbon materials are redefining sustainable design benchmarks across global marketplaces. Such initiatives signal that sustainable urban development and net zero whole life carbon ambitions are achievable through aligned finance, technology, and training. This maturing ecosystem suggests that green construction is moving beyond compliance toward a proactive, measurable model of environmental sustainability in construction, rooted in whole life carbon assessment and sustained by innovation across every stage of the build cycle.