Clean energy generation is reaching a scale the construction industry can use. With the UK’s offshore wind capacity exceeding 16GW and a further 9GW approved, the built environment now has a pathway to decarbonising operations. Electrifying heat, machinery, and building services must align with whole life carbon assessment principles to ensure resources are directed efficiently. As data centres compete for clean electrons, sustainable building design and low carbon design must prioritise passive strategies, load flexibility, and energy-efficient buildings that minimise demand.

A material transition is under way. The use of compressed earth blocks in Kenya demonstrates the shift from high embodied carbon materials toward bioregional renewable building materials. Leveraging local soils reduces the carbon footprint of construction and promotes eco-design for buildings that enhance thermal comfort while cutting emissions. These low embodied carbon materials reflect sustainable material specification rooted in life cycle thinking in construction and environmental sustainability in construction. Selecting green building materials supported by environmental product declarations (EPDs) enables more accurate lifecycle assessment and whole life carbon accounting.

Growing climate risks highlight the importance of resilient planning. Events like the Swiss landslide underscore the need to integrate decarbonising the built environment with geotechnical foresight. Embedding sustainable building practices and resource efficiency in construction within early design allows for adaptive, net zero whole life carbon performance across the asset lifespan. These resilience measures support sustainable urban development that aligns with green infrastructure and long-term life cycle cost optimisation.

From Brussels, tighter regulations on plastic imports aim to strengthen the circular economy in construction by bolstering markets for recycled polymers used in pipes, membranes, and insulation. This supports circular construction strategies, end-of-life reuse in construction, and a broader shift to eco-friendly construction. It encourages specifiers to commit to circular economy procurement models where whole life carbon and carbon footprint reduction become key tender criteria.

The direction of sustainable construction is clear. Clean energy expansion, low carbon building design, and urban adaptation must combine to achieve net zero carbon buildings guided by BREEAM and BREEAM v7 standards. The leaders in carbon neutral construction will integrate sustainable architecture, green building products, and building lifecycle performance into every decision, reducing the environmental impact of construction while extending asset longevity and profitability.