The architecture, engineering and construction sector faces growing scrutiny as the global push for sustainable construction accelerates. UK data reveal a 32% drop in detailed planning approvals and a comparable fall in contract awards, underlining uncertainty in low carbon design and policy direction. Developers are increasingly demanding coherent frameworks for Whole Life Carbon Assessment and lifecycle assessment to support investment in energy-efficient buildings and sustainable building design.

The National Audit Office’s findings on the inadequate reporting of climate risk across public institutions expose systematic weaknesses just as environmental sustainability in construction becomes a regulatory and financial imperative. Public sector procurement continues to overlook life cycle cost and embodied carbon in materials, hindering the transition toward net zero whole life carbon outcomes. The absence of decisive circular economy policies limits progress on resource efficiency in construction and end-of-life reuse in construction practices essential to circular construction strategies.

Industry-led innovation offers a counterpoint. Programmes such as the Mission Possible Partnership are operationalising decarbonising the built environment through technologies that lower the carbon footprint of construction, including renewable hydrogen and low carbon construction materials. In manufacturing, the Fashion for Good model has produced a scalable framework applicable to eco-design for buildings, demonstrating deep emissions cuts achievable through low-impact construction and green building materials.

Collaboration is emerging as the defining driver. The involvement of global institutions like RICS at international forums signals movement toward unified standards for sustainable building practices, sustainable material specification and carbon neutral construction. The growing emphasis on BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM v7 underscores the demand for consistent assessment tools supporting net zero carbon buildings and green infrastructure delivery. The sector’s cultural shift—embracing sustainable design as standard business practice—positions eco-friendly construction and net zero carbon strategies as prerequisites for building lifecycle performance and long-term sustainable urban development.