Dassault Systèmes and Patrick Jouin have introduced “Ta.Tamu”, a 3D-printed furniture collection using renewable building materials, engineered for end-of-life reuse in construction through disassembly. This innovation demonstrates how digital design, additive manufacturing, and principles of the circular economy can reduce embodied carbon in materials and support whole life carbon reductions. By focusing on material efficiency and future reuse, this project reflects eco-design for buildings and the broader shift toward sustainable building design and sustainable construction, setting a new standard in environmental sustainability in construction.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released an updated standard for commercial property service charges, mandating improved transparency, operational efficiency, and sustainability. These updated requirements will directly impact the carbon footprint of construction by fostering better building lifecycle performance and supporting whole life carbon assessment. By integrating lifecycle assessment and life cycle cost analysis, professionals are empowered to optimise resources and reduce operational emissions throughout a building’s life cycle.
The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) highlights high electricity costs as a persistent obstacle to decarbonising the built environment. This challenge is especially acute in low carbon design for net zero whole life carbon and net zero carbon buildings, as unaffordable electricity threatens meeting legal carbon reduction targets. Affordable clean energy remains crucial for energy-efficient buildings, enabling large-scale retrofits and accelerating the transition towards net zero carbon and sustainable urban development in both new and existing constructions.
The announcement of Ballymore as a joint venture partner for London’s Limmo Peninsula marks progression in sustainable urban development. The project has the potential to become a flagship for green construction and net zero whole life carbon through forward-thinking sustainable building practices. This development aligns with London’s ambitions for carbon neutral construction, green infrastructure, and embodies strategies integral to the circular economy in construction.
Material innovation continues to drive the sustainability credentials of new builds globally. Companies like GeologicAI and Elemental Advanced Materials are advancing low carbon construction materials and processes for critical minerals, carbon nanomaterials, and hydrogen. These solutions directly address the embodied carbon of construction materials, reducing life cycle environmental impact and enabling stricter sustainable material specification, whilst supporting environmental product declarations (EPDs).
Across all regions, sustainable design, resource efficiency in construction, and the adoption of circular construction strategies are reinforcing global efforts for carbon footprint reduction. The focus on life cycle thinking in construction, green building materials, and innovation in eco-friendly construction is making sustainable architecture the norm for the industry—all driving forward environmental sustainability in construction and a lasting transition to lower-impact, high-performance buildings worldwide.
