Taxes on private jets and first and business class would be fair and popular and bring in tens of billions of dollars each year to help countries cope with climate change
The UK approval of National Grid’s 2GW Sea Link between Suffolk and Kent strengthens the foundations for sustainable construction by expanding access to cleaner electricity for energy-efficient buildings, electrified heat and low carbon building operation. The 138km high-voltage undersea connection, designed to supply the equivalent of two million homes, supports net zero carbon buildings and sustainable urban development by reducing grid constraints that limit renewable integration across the built environment.
WRAP’s estimate that stronger circular economy action could unlock more than £93bn in gross value added and support 550,000 jobs places circular economy in construction at the centre of economic policy. Resource efficiency in construction, end-of-life reuse in construction, circular construction strategies and sustainable material specification are becoming commercial priorities. The sector’s focus is shifting from isolated green building products to whole life carbon, embodied carbon and whole life carbon assessment across design, procurement, construction, operation and deconstruction.
Developers, contractors and investors face sharper scrutiny of the carbon footprint of construction, embodied carbon in materials and the environmental impact of construction. Low carbon design, eco-design for buildings, lifecycle assessment and life cycle cost modelling are now essential to credible sustainable building design. Demand is rising for low carbon construction materials, low embodied carbon materials, renewable building materials, green building materials and environmental product declarations (epds) that prove performance rather than rely on marketing claims.
Global biodiversity negotiations show that environmental sustainability in construction now extends beyond net zero carbon. Nature risk, harmful subsidies, finance and scientific evidence are becoming part of investment decisions. BREEAM, BREEAM v7 and other assessment frameworks will increase pressure for sustainable building practices, building lifecycle performance and life cycle thinking in construction. The competitive advantage will sit with projects that deliver net zero whole life carbon, carbon footprint reduction, green infrastructure and resilient low-impact construction through measurable sustainable design.
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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