Scotland’s Climate Change Committee has pressed the Scottish Government to target a 57 per cent emissions reduction by 2030, with strategic actions across buildings, agriculture, land use, and surface transport. The recommendations emphasise urgent measures targeting the built environment, particularly construction and retrofit, to drive progress towards net zero whole life carbon ambitions and address missed milestones in environmental sustainability in construction.
A landmark £500m masterplan for Glasgow’s Clyde Gateway will transform 100 hectares in the city’s east end and South Lanarkshire, setting a precedent for sustainable urban development. The project will integrate green infrastructure, low carbon construction materials, and climate adaptation, reflecting the growing adoption of whole life carbon assessment and green construction approaches in large-scale regeneration schemes across the UK.
Product innovation is supporting circular economy in construction, as PPG introduces ENVIROLUXE Plus powder coatings with up to 18 per cent post-industrial recycled plastic content. Such solutions address the need for lower embodied carbon in materials and align with global demands for sustainable material specification and eco-friendly construction aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of construction and supporting circular construction strategies.
Regulatory scrutiny is increasing, with the UK Environment Agency leading a record 81 investigations into sewage spills. This intensifies compliance requirements for water infrastructure construction, encouraging higher standards of sustainable building practices, resource efficiency in construction, and end-of-life reuse in construction to safeguard both environmental sustainability and public health.
Global deforestation continues at a record pace due to wildfires and climate impacts, escalating concerns over carbon footprint and the necessity for carbon neutral construction and low embodied carbon materials. Forests are vital for life cycle cost reduction and carbon sequestration, underlining the role of sustainable building design and eco-design for buildings in maintaining climate resilience and environmental product declarations (EPDs).
These developments highlight that sustainable construction, life cycle thinking in construction, and decarbonising the built environment are now central to climate action globally. Progress in net zero carbon buildings, continuous lifecycle assessment, and a shift to green building materials illustrate the sector’s critical contribution to carbon footprint reduction and a sustainable, low carbon future.
