The UK government has launched a 10-year infrastructure strategy prioritising whole life carbon reduction in national projects. This initiative, championed by leaders in environmental sustainability in construction, seeks to integrate climate resilience, sustainable building design, and economic growth. With support from NISTA and flexible technologies, the strategy places green infrastructure and sustainable construction at the heart of future developments, urging the sector to adopt whole life carbon assessment and embrace net zero whole life carbon objectives. Policy emphasis on climate resilience highlights the need for robust low carbon design in tackling increased environmental risks faced by the construction industry.
A government-backed cleantech hub in the UK is set to accelerate advances in sustainable material specification. By utilising biomanufacturing techniques and microbes to upcycle landfill and industrial waste, this hub will drive the development of renewable building materials and facilitate a circular economy in construction. These innovations align with the global push towards eco-friendly construction and low embodied carbon materials, supporting the sustainable transformation of building material supply chains. Enhanced emphasis on the circular economy reduces the reliance on fossil fuels, and positions the industry to actively minimise the carbon footprint of construction.
A comprehensive industry report offers construction businesses clear guidance on reducing embodied carbon and Scope 3 emissions throughout the supply chain. This resource provides actionable strategies for future-proofing operations through lifecycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis. With the intensifying focus on decarbonising the built environment and increased demand for transparent reporting, construction companies are positioned to meet regulatory and investor expectations while effectively managing the environmental impact of construction. Life cycle thinking in construction and the use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) are emerging as pivotal tools for authenticating carbon footprint reduction claims.
In the European Union, the possible withdrawal of the Green Claims Directive could reshape the regulatory landscape for green construction claims. Construction firms operating in this environment may soon face less stringent standards regarding eco-design for buildings, potentially affecting reputational risk and compliance. While such developments may reduce regulatory burdens, maintaining credible sustainability claims—and ensuring sustainable building practices and net zero carbon buildings—remains fundamental for long-term business viability across the region.
The global steel industry is witnessing significant momentum towards producing green building materials. Projections of rapid growth in green steel production underscore the industry's key role in enabling low carbon building and supporting carbon neutral construction strategies worldwide. As green building products and low carbon construction materials become more available, the construction sector will gain new opportunities to enhance building lifecycle performance while addressing the embodied carbon in materials used throughout project lifecycles.
Changemakers across the sector are now expected to integrate sustainable design, resource efficiency in construction, and end-of-life reuse in construction as standard practice. The path to sustainable urban development, eco-design for buildings, and net zero carbon hinges on driving innovation and measurable progress. The construction industry’s future depends on embedding sustainability at every stage—from lifecycle assessment to the adoption of green building materials—ensuring the transition to a resilient and sustainable built environment.
