A renewed momentum for sustainable construction is visible as industry leaders elevate standards in environmental sustainability in construction. Trex Company’s 2024 Sustainability Report puts circular economy and circular construction strategies at the forefront, with a focus on recycled materials and resource efficiency in construction. Their benchmark for circular innovation is expected to influence wider shifts in how whole life carbon in materials and embodied carbon are addressed across the sector, challenging competitors to abandon superficial green construction claims and to adopt authentic low embodied carbon materials.
Significant consolidation within the construction supply chain is reshaping the use of recycled and low carbon construction materials. Fox Brothers Holdings’ acquisition of J Fisher & Sons strengthens asphalt reprocessing, confronting the carbon footprint of construction head-on. These advancements in asphalt recycling underscore the practical importance of lifecycle assessment and life cycle thinking in construction, as firms prioritise end-of-life reuse in construction and eco-friendly construction principles. Scaling these processes ensures sustainable building practices are applied directly at work sites, driving measurable reductions in embodied carbon and supporting net zero whole life carbon ambitions.
Policy direction continues to influence sustainable building design. The UK Government’s new solar roadmap with 70 targeted actions propels net zero carbon buildings through the expansion of rooftop and ground-mounted renewables, embedding renewable building materials and strengthening the role of integrated renewables in sustainable material specification. This solar rooftop revolution accelerates the adoption of energy-efficient buildings, demonstrating a concrete shift from token renewables to holistic eco-design for buildings and sustainable urban development.
Regulatory scrutiny over carbon trading becomes more acute as the UK’s Emissions Trading Scheme faces criticism for low carbon pricing, creating uncertainty over its effect on robust carbon footprint reduction in heavy industry. The future success of decarbonising the built environment depends on clear price signals to push stakeholders toward low carbon design and carbon neutral construction. Stronger accountability mechanisms are essential to deliver effective whole life carbon assessment and to advance net zero carbon objectives industry-wide.
Market appetite for green building materials and green building products has intensified, marked by Carlisle Companies’ acquisition of Bonded Logic. The expansion of innovative products, especially those supporting low-impact construction and life cycle cost advantages, broadens the accessibility of sustainable architecture and underpin the drive for building lifecycle performance improvements. The result is a sector-wide acceleration towards sustainable construction, with innovation fast-tracked by both market leadership and regulatory imperatives.
Overall, sustainability remains the dominant theme, with a dual pressure from both policy and competitive dynamics. The move towards a circular economy in construction, measurable environmental product declarations (EPDs), and decisive reduction of environmental impact of construction are now prerequisites, not options, for those aiming to thrive in a rapidly evolving global construction market. Firms that fail to embed sustainable design and whole life carbon strategies may rapidly lose relevance as the industry intensifies efforts to achieve net zero whole life carbon targets.
