Major infrastructure and regulatory updates are reshaping environmental sustainability in construction across the globe. Pakistan’s government has announced investments in new water storage facilities, including the Diamer Bhasha dam, prioritising resource efficiency in construction to enhance climate resilience and food security. This reflects an increasing focus on life cycle cost and whole life carbon considerations, as such projects demand whole life carbon assessment to ensure long-term sustainability and robust building lifecycle performance.
The United Kingdom’s Ofgem regulator is planning to reduce funding for transmission infrastructure from £12 billion to £8.9 billion, raising concerns about achieving net zero carbon buildings and net zero whole life carbon targets in line with net zero carbon strategies. With tighter investment, there is growing emphasis on energy-efficient buildings, eco-design for buildings and sustainable building design to support a low carbon built environment. Achieving these outcomes requires embedding low carbon construction materials, circular economy in construction and lifecycle assessment principles.
Sustainable construction momentum is accelerating in building services and district energy systems. Recent projects demonstrate how integrated heating and cooling can minimise the carbon footprint of construction, promoting green construction, low carbon design and eco-friendly construction practices at scale. Green infrastructure and sustainable building practices are proving vital for large urban developments striving for sustainable urban development outcomes while addressing embodied carbon in materials.
Material sourcing and specification continue to impact whole life carbon profiles. International manufacturers are advancing green building materials and green building products, prioritising recycled content for reduced embodied carbon and resource efficiency in construction. This aligns with the adoption of environmental product declarations (EPDs), supporting low embodied carbon materials and circular construction strategies to decarbonise the built environment and foster a circular economy.
Investment in nature-based and resilient design is rising. Institutional capital, such as West Yorkshire Pension Fund’s backing of a major nature infrastructure initiative, reinforces the value of sustainable material specification and carbon neutral construction. Effective integration of biodiversity, environmental impact of construction, and end-of-life reuse in construction is becoming a financial as well as an ethical imperative.
Collectively, these sustainability developments highlight mounting expectations for the construction sector to optimise lifecycle assessment, carbon footprint reduction and life cycle thinking in construction. Whole life carbon and embodied carbon are central to future building performance, making sustainability, resource efficiency and innovation key to delivering resilient, low-impact construction in a changing world.
