The UK government has launched a consultation to define 'nature positive' for the built environment sector, aiming to prevent greenwashing and enhance environmental sustainability in construction. This move acknowledges the demand for standardised frameworks that integrate biodiversity and nature restoration into new projects. Stakeholder input will influence future sustainable building design and sustainable building practices across the construction industry. The initiative focuses on robust guidelines to improve lifecycle assessment, life cycle cost analysis, and eco-design for buildings. Opportunities remain open until 12 June for feedback from industry professionals and environmental groups.
Recent analysis of delays to UK energy efficiency standards in new-build homes has revealed householders have incurred £5 billion in avoidable costs since 2017. The report emphasises the impact of regulatory timelines on whole life carbon, operational carbon, and the carbon footprint of construction. Timely policy action is crucial for reducing embodied carbon in materials and helping the construction sector move towards net zero whole life carbon targets. Accelerating implementation of standards will drive the delivery of low carbon building and energy-efficient buildings, responding to the urgent need for improved building lifecycle performance.
Europe’s renewable energy transition is being slowed by ageing grid infrastructure. According to a new report, outdated networks and planning delays create barriers for supplying clean electricity to building projects. This bottleneck challenges decarbonising the built environment and limits the use of renewable building materials and green building products. Upgrading the grid is essential for net zero carbon buildings, enabling wider adoption of low carbon construction materials and circular economy in construction.
In industrial construction, PepsiCo’s Leicester factory is investing £58 million in decarbonising its manufacturing site. The move includes electric ovens to cut greenhouse gas emissions and boost productivity, showcasing sustainable construction and carbon neutral construction models in practice. Large-scale retrofits such as this highlight how resource efficiency in construction and low-impact construction methods can contribute to net zero carbon goals in manufacturing and beyond.
Coastal erosion in the UK is exposing old landfill waste on beaches, posing persistent risks for sustainable urban development and green infrastructure near the coast. This emerging hazard underscores the importance of life cycle thinking in construction and end-of-life reuse in construction projects. Both adaptation and mitigation are needed to address legacy issues and improve the long-term environmental impact of construction in vulnerable coastal regions.
A recent report urges urgent action on methane reduction, identifying it as a critical lever for slowing global warming. Construction is called on to monitor and reduce methane leaks from building materials and site operations, supporting a whole life carbon assessment across the sector. Addressing all emissions, including embodied carbon, operational carbon, and methane, is essential for achieving climate targets and advancing genuinely sustainable design.
