Cornerstone Building Brands has announced the expansion of its Ply Gem® 1500 Vinyl Window and Patio Door Collection, introducing coextruded black finishes for improved flexibility in sustainable building design. The collection maintains strong energy efficiency and durability, prioritising low carbon design and energy-efficient buildings while offering aesthetic versatility. Such product innovations reflect a broader industry push for green building materials and eco-friendly construction,...

The UK is under pressure to meet its 2030 clean energy targets, with MPs stressing the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades such as improvements to the electricity grid. This is central to decarbonising the built environment and achieving net zero whole life carbon ambitions. Simon McWhirter has been appointed as Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council, a move that may influence strategies around sustainable building design, whole life carbon assessment, and environmental...

The UK Green Building Council has named Simon McWhirter as its new Chief Executive, marking a pivotal change for sustainable construction leadership in Britain. This move is expected to reinforce the council’s advocacy for whole life carbon assessment and drive action on net zero carbon buildings. With growing demand for decarbonising the built environment, McWhirter’s focus will include reducing embodied carbon, encouraging resource efficiency in construction, and enabling the shift to...

Construction has commenced on the UK’s largest electricity substation in Uxbridge, signalling a major upgrade in grid infrastructure to support the rising demand for reliable, low-carbon electricity. Construction has commenced on the UK’s largest electricity substation in Uxbridge, signalling a major upgrade in grid infrastructure to support the rising demand for reliable, low-carbon electricity. This project is directly linked to the construction industry’s ongoing transition towards...

Spring 2025 brought the UK’s warmest and sunniest season on record, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable building design and increased environmental sustainability in construction. These shifting climate patterns are driving demand for energy-efficient buildings and pushing the industry to focus on the whole life carbon and embodied carbon of projects, as the carbon footprint of construction becomes an ever-greater concern. Material resilience and innovative life cycle cost approaches...

Barclays’ Climate Ventures arm has catalysed £500 million towards global clean technology investment in the last five years, combining over £200 million of its own funding with more than £300 million from co-investors. This commitment underlines rising confidence in green construction and whole life carbon innovation, targeting both embodied carbon in materials and the carbon footprint of construction activities. New investments prioritise eco-design for buildings, sustainable construction...

The construction industry is accelerating its transition to sustainable building design, with new partnerships formed between established firms and startups focused on environmental sustainability in construction. These initiatives seek to reduce the carbon footprint of construction through low carbon design, increased use of renewable building materials, and wider adoption of the circular economy in construction. Lifecycle assessment and whole life carbon assessment are being integrated into...

The UK construction sector is advancing towards environmental sustainability in construction, demonstrated by Wakefield’s redevelopment of the Grade II* listed former Crown Court. This project prioritises sustainable building design by integrating heritage conservation with improved accessibility and practicality. Such efforts signal a growing commitment in construction to blend eco-design for buildings with the preservation of historic assets, supporting whole life carbon and embodied carbon...

The construction industry is accelerating its adoption of circular economy principles to reduce embodied carbon and overall carbon footprint of construction activity. Reuse and repurposing of materials within the sector are now seen as drivers for improved resource efficiency in construction, promoting both environmental sustainability in construction and enhanced life cycle cost savings. Real-world projects highlight circular construction strategies that optimise end-of-life reuse in...

The construction industry is responding to rapid global urbanisation, with efforts underway to address environmental sustainability in construction and reduce the carbon footprint of construction. Startups are providing innovative solutions, helping established companies embrace sustainable building design, whole life carbon assessment, and low carbon construction materials. The integration of circular economy principles and resource efficiency in construction is gaining ground, with industry...