Over the past two decades, Resilience has served as a unifying theme for the APAN Forums. The past years have seen significant efforts towards generating knowledge and information on climate change adaptation at the global and regional levels. However, we are still significantly off-schedule to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and the world is in a state of climate emergency. The current climate change impacts are evident and disruptive in sectors like agriculture, ecosystems, human health, urban settlements, and infrastructure. The sub-theme is aligned with the overarching theme of KGAW 2023 — “A New Era for Adaptation: Scaling up and transformation in adaptation”. It is also in line with the key outcomes of COP27, further emphasizing the importance of transformative approach to accelerating and enhancing adaptation efforts. This publication offers recommendations, entry points and pathways for policy makers, academics, research organizations, non-government organizations, private sector, funding institutions and global and regional negotiations on developing strategies and approaches to achieve transformative adaptation in the Asia-Pacific region. It was launched at the NAP Expo 2024 in Dhaka Bangladesh on 25 April 2024.
The recently completed Nord Pavilion in London highlights the rise of low-impact home extensions that balance architectural quality with environmental performance. By integrating natural light and energy-efficient design features, this project demonstrates how Whole Life Carbon and Embodied Carbon can be reduced through sustainable building design at a domestic scale. It stands as a clear example of eco-design for buildings that respond to both aesthetic and performance demands while contributing to environmental sustainability in construction.
Large-scale energy generation also influences the construction sector. The US programme to deploy next-generation nuclear reactors is reshaping not only energy supply but also methods of modular construction, permitting, and rapid project delivery. These approaches point to a growing recognition of Life Cycle Cost, lifecycle assessment, and Whole Life Carbon Assessment in infrastructure delivery. The adoption of low carbon construction materials and net zero whole life carbon strategies within such projects will be critical to reducing the carbon footprint of construction.
BKV Corporation’s 2024 Sustainability Report underscores the push toward a Circular Economy in construction through its closed-loop model. This forward-looking approach stresses Embodied Carbon in materials and the importance of circular construction strategies. The report aligns with industry adoption of life cycle thinking in construction, emphasising end-of-life reuse in construction and resource efficiency in construction, both essential for achieving net zero carbon buildings and building lifecycle performance.
Shifts in decentralised and flexible energy generation also carry direct implications for sustainable construction. New optimisation and smart grid strategies increasingly affect how energy-efficient buildings and low carbon buildings are designed, powered, and integrated into green infrastructure. Such systems enable the use of renewable building materials and eco-friendly construction practices, reinforcing the alignment between sustainable urban development and carbon neutral construction.
Momentum around international environmental treaties illustrates the broader movement toward regulating the environmental impact of construction and major infrastructure. These frameworks support sustainable building practices and sustainable material specification while compelling the industry to expand the use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) and green building products. Standards such as BREEAM and BREEAM v7 will remain central in benchmarking sustainable design against global goals for carbon footprint reduction.
The construction sector is transitioning toward sustainable architecture that combines low carbon design, green construction methods, and net zero carbon delivery. By prioritising sustainable building design, eco-friendly construction materials, and lifecycle assessment tools, the industry advances environmental sustainability in construction. The path forward depends on embedding Circular Economy principles across every stage of Whole Life Carbon performance, laying the foundation for genuinely sustainable construction practices worldwide.
Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do
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