Graymont and Fortera have formed a strategic alliance to scale Fortera’s ReAct™ cement technology, which directly captures CO₂ during production. This low-carbon alternative to Portland cement presents a significant step in reducing embodied carbon in materials and advancing low carbon construction materials. The partnership supports the transition to net zero whole life carbon in new developments, offering a practical solution without sacrificing performance or cost-efficiency. As global...

The UK’s green hydrogen sector advances with the launch of the £45 million St Austell Green Hydrogen project in Cornwall, a collaboration between Four Zeros Energy and Vergia AS. Designed to power hard-to-abate sectors such as construction and transport, the project underscores hydrogen’s role in reducing the carbon footprint of construction. Integrating clean hydrogen into sustainable building design supports efforts to deliver net zero Whole Life Carbon in infrastructure...

Amazon’s recent agreement with Brimstone signals a pivotal step toward decarbonising the built environment, reserving volumes of lower-carbon Portland cement from Brimstone’s upcoming facility. Cement is among the highest contributors to embodied carbon in materials, making this initiative a key example of low carbon construction materials gaining commercial traction. With demand for low embodied carbon materials rising across global markets, Amazon’s model may set a precedent for net...

Sustane Technologies has signed a long-term agreement with BASF for the supply of pyrolysis oil, a low-carbon alternative to fossil feedstocks, highlighting the growing focus on circular economy in construction. Incorporating such circular materials into construction products is critical for reducing embodied carbon in materials and driving sustainable building practices across the sector. In Northern Illinois, 17 municipalities completed training to become "EV Ready" under a programme led by...

A proposed expansion of the UK's Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) scheme to include smaller construction sites could generate nearly £12 billion in economic value while protecting almost 100,000 hectares of land. The initiative aims to embed environmental sustainability in construction by requiring measurable improvements to biodiversity across project life cycles. The scheme supports life cycle thinking in construction by encouraging nature-positive outcomes from the earliest planning stages....

Scotland has announced a major retrofit programme in Renfrewshire, where £1.8 million in funding will support the installation of heat pumps in two high-rise council blocks. This marks the country’s largest residential heat pump network and a significant shift in addressing Whole Life Carbon and Embodied Carbon emissions associated with outdated heating infrastructure. Such upgrades play a crucial role in sustainable building design strategies for public housing, helping local authorities...

Green building policy is intensifying on a global scale, with cities enforcing stricter, asset-level regulations targeting environmental sustainability in construction. Local authorities in key urban centres such as London and New York are holding developers accountable through measurable requirements like embodied carbon reporting and whole life carbon benchmarks. This shift reflects the growing global consensus that sustainable construction must be grounded in enforceable outcomes, not just...

Governments worldwide are escalating green building regulations, shifting from voluntary standards toward legally binding mandates. Construction projects are increasingly required to carry out Whole Life Carbon Assessment and report Whole Life Carbon at a granular project level. These policy developments underline a critical move toward environmental sustainability in construction, making life cycle cost analysis, carbon monitoring, and sustainable building design key compliance elements. The...

Cities around the world are moving rapidly from voluntary climate pledges to mandatory green building policy, ushering in a critical phase for sustainable construction. Governments increasingly demand asset-level emissions data and enforce performance benchmarks, reflecting a clear shift toward net zero Whole Life Carbon in the built environment. This evolution of regulation compels developers to engage in Whole Life Carbon Assessment and improve the carbon footprint of construction projects...

Cities across Europe, North America and Asia are enforcing stricter building codes to accelerate sustainability in construction, focusing on deep retrofits, carbon performance, and asset-level compliance. These developments reflect growing commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of construction, particularly from existing buildings that dominate emissions in urban areas. Regulatory updates often include mandates for whole life carbon assessment and more rigorous tracking of embodied carbon...