Recent government regulations will require smart functionality in heat pumps and electric heating appliances, driving improvements in energy-efficient buildings and supporting access to cheaper tariffs. This step enhances resource efficiency in construction and aligns with environmental sustainability in construction by reducing operational carbon and enabling whole life carbon assessment in the built environment.
Latest data from MCS shows a surge in domestic clean technology installations, with March marking the strongest month of 2025 for heat pumps, solar panels, and energy storage system uptake. The trend reflects growing public interest in sustainable building design, eco-design for buildings, and lifecycle assessment approaches that aim to reduce the carbon footprint of construction and promote net zero whole life carbon outcomes.
OnWood® Plywood, launched by T2EARTH® on Earth Day, offers lower embodied carbon in materials and is promoted as a high-performing eco-friendly fire-retardant plywood. Such renewable building materials and green building materials support sustainable material specification and reduce whole life carbon and embodied carbon in materials, contributing to sustainable construction and decarbonising the built environment.
Battery materials recovery and black mass recycling are gaining ground in Europe, particularly in Germany, strengthening the circular economy in construction and supporting end-of-life reuse in construction. By closing material loops and supporting electrification and renewable energy, these circular construction strategies advance net zero carbon buildings and life cycle cost reductions in both infrastructure and building lifecycle performance.
Community resilience is on display with Oxford residents developing flood response plans to future-proof homes as extreme weather becomes more frequent. This grassroots effort exemplifies low impact construction and sustainable building practices, highlighting the need for planning and resilient, low carbon design to reduce the environmental impact of construction.
Together, these developments show the construction industry’s commitment to sustainable design, sustainable architecture, and carbon footprint reduction. Embracing technological innovation and whole life carbon strategies positions the sector as a leader in environmental sustainability while paving the way toward carbon neutral construction and green infrastructure globally.
