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...

A renewed emphasis on the circular economy in construction is driving both financial and environmental gains, with whole life carbon and embodied carbon in materials featuring prominently in industry discussions. As cities expand, adopting circular economy in construction models is seen as crucial to reducing the carbon footprint of construction and supporting net zero whole life carbon targets. While doubts remain about life cycle cost benefits at scale, projects focused on end-of-life reuse...

The UK construction sector in April 2025 saw a strong rise in detailed planning approvals, up 52% year-on-year, driven particularly by housing. Housing project starts increased by 15%, signalling consistent demand and policy shifts towards sustainable building design and low carbon design in urban development. Industrial construction showed mixed results, with a 7% increase in project starts but a steep 72% fall in planning approvals. Office sector activity declined with project starts and...

April 2025 revealed significant advancements in sustainable construction and environmental sustainability in construction, especially throughout the UK. Detailed planning approvals for construction projects increased by 52% from the previous year, with housing project starts rising by 15%. Infrastructure construction grew 74% over the last quarter, and health-related projects surged by 87%, reflecting expanding investment in green infrastructure and sustainable building design. Offices and...

The UK government is expediting the planning of two new reservoirs in Lincolnshire and East Anglia, marking the first major water infrastructure projects in thirty years. These reservoirs, classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, address climate-driven drought risks and growing water demand. For the construction sector, this policy is expected to create new opportunities for sustainable building design and sustainable construction while increasing regulatory emphasis on...

Grosvenor, one of the world’s major property groups, has reported a 17% profit increase for 2024, linking this success to a deeper commitment to environmental sustainability in construction and sustainable building design. Their results highlight how integrating life cycle cost considerations into property and construction activities is key to long-term viability and responsible investment. This approach demonstrates the growing importance of whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle...

The UK government is considering easing Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) regulations on small-scale housebuilding, aiming to speed up the construction of 1.5 million new homes. While intended to accelerate housing delivery, these reforms face criticism for threatening environmental sustainability in construction. Environmental groups warn that reducing BNG requirements for small developments—which make up the majority—could undermine national biodiversity targets and weaken standards for...

Sustainable construction is advancing with the updated SKArating for Offices environmental assessment scheme, now open for public consultation. This development highlights the sector’s growing focus on whole life carbon and whole life carbon assessments, as fit-outs and refurbishments aim for measurable environmental sustainability in construction. The emphasis is on reducing embodied carbon in materials and improving lifecycle assessment for better green construction outcomes. Stakeholder...

Schneider Electric has launched a multi-year initiative to create an AI-native ecosystem for advancing sustainability and energy management across the construction sector. The growing adoption of digital transformation in energy-efficient buildings highlights the rising influence of automation, data-driven decision-making, and AI in achieving operational carbon reductions, optimising resource efficiency in construction, and lowering the carbon footprint of construction projects. Integrating AI...

Schneider Electric is launching a multi-year project to create an AI-native digital ecosystem for sustainability and energy management in the built environment. This initiative targets accelerating whole life carbon reduction, enabling data-driven whole life carbon assessment and improved energy-efficient buildings. By integrating advanced technology, the construction sector can expect optimised building lifecycle performance and streamlined operational carbon management, further supporting the...