Barratt has announced it will deliver all London developments to Passivhaus standards, advancing the UK’s largest Passivhaus project with 728 energy-efficient buildings. This commitment to rigorous sustainable building design raises expectations for carbon footprint reduction and whole life carbon assessment within urban development. Net zero carbon buildings and eco-design for buildings are now central to new residential projects, demonstrating how the industry is actively addressing operational carbon and embodied carbon in materials.
A £1bn Airedale Hospital redevelopment has named its design team, with expectations of green construction and environmental sustainability in construction at its core. Healthcare infrastructure investments increasingly prioritise life cycle cost, low carbon design, and circular economy strategies. These projects provide opportunities to showcase best practice in lifecycle assessment, resource efficiency in construction, and innovation in sustainable construction materials.
A parliamentary report has criticised the UK’s lack of progress on retrofitting older buildings for improved energy efficiency. Policy failures risk missing carbon neutral construction goals, hindering efforts in decarbonising the built environment. Scaling up retrofitting, backed by robust incentives and sustainable building practices, is significant for reducing both operational carbon and embodied carbon, supporting long-term sustainable urban development.
The European Parliament may ease sustainability reporting requirements, potentially impacting environmental product declarations (EPDs) and full transparency around the environmental impact of construction. Concerns remain that relaxing these rules could slow progress towards net zero whole life carbon and compromise green building products adoption. Effective climate reporting underpins circular construction strategies and supports life cycle thinking in construction sector policy.
Technological innovation continues, with the introduction of ClimateAi’s AI platform combining climate, economic, and behavioural data for risk management in the built environment. Such tools assist in building lifecycle performance and climate resilience, enhancing the specification of low embodied carbon materials and renewable building materials. Leading developers are advancing sustainable architecture and green infrastructure, moving the sector closer to whole life carbon and circular economy in construction objectives.
