INEOS has completed a £30 million hydrogen conversion at its Hull plant, cutting emissions by 75%. This large-scale retrofit illustrates how carbon-intensive sectors connected to construction can implement impactful decarbonisation strategies. As demand rises for low carbon construction materials and energy-efficient buildings, hydrogen’s role is becoming crucial in reducing the carbon footprint of construction. These industrial transformations contribute directly to net zero Whole Life Carbon goals and highlight the value of integrating low carbon design into supply chains that support sustainable construction worldwide.
A new industry report emphasises the growing necessity of climate-resilient features in sustainable building design. As cities face increased climate volatility, flexible infrastructure — including green roofs, flood-conscious zoning, and water recycling systems — is now essential. These features align with sustainable design best practices and are critical in achieving improved building lifecycle performance. Designing for adaptability also supports life cycle thinking in construction, ensuring buildings are future-proof and capable of contributing to sustainable urban development.
SmartCentres’ latest ESG report confirms a marked shift toward embedding sustainability across the entire property development process. The group’s data-driven approach supports Life Cycle Cost optimisation and Whole Life Carbon Assessment, ensuring projects address both operational and Embodied Carbon. With mounting pressure from investors and regulators to advance environmental sustainability in construction, benchmarking tools and transparent carbon targets are becoming standard for large-scale developments seeking to deliver net zero carbon buildings.
WRAP’s latest analysis highlights the business case for Circular Economy principles in the built environment. Circular-native companies integrating reuse and recycling from inception are outperforming linear models. This approach is particularly relevant to construction, where circular construction strategies — such as designing for disassembly, repurposing structural elements, and selecting low Embodied Carbon materials — can achieve meaningful embodied carbon reductions. Integrating circular economy in construction supports resource efficiency in construction and greatly improves whole life performance for eco-friendly building assets.
Urban leaders are also driving water resilience through sustainable infrastructure planning. Decentralised systems for collection and reuse are being adopted to reduce strain on central utilities and bolster environmental sustainability in construction. These systems, forming part of eco-design for buildings and green infrastructure solutions, also contribute to lowering the environmental impact of construction while enhancing long-term resilience, particularly for projects targeting carbon neutral construction in water-stressed regions.
