INEOS has completed a £30 million conversion of its Hull chemical plant to operate on hydrogen, expected to reduce site emissions by 75%. This shift signifies a substantial step towards decarbonising the built environment, as hydrogen use supports the development of low carbon construction materials essential for improving the carbon footprint of construction. As heavy industry adapts, the supply chain for sustainable construction becomes more viable, enabling broader adoption of low carbon design across infrastructure.
Global strategies are intensifying to reinforce the built environment against increasing threats from drought and flood. Urban planners are prioritising sustainable building design approaches, aligning them with climate-resilient frameworks and Whole Life Carbon Assessment to future-proof buildings. These developments reflect a growing emphasis on environmental sustainability in construction, where eco-design for buildings serves both mitigation and adaptation goals.
Real estate developers are beginning to embed sustainable building practices into traditionally slow-moving sectors. SmartCentres' 2024 ESG report outlines steps to cut emissions and enhance energy-efficient buildings across commercial portfolios. Though incremental, these actions indicate an underlying shift towards net zero carbon buildings and demonstrate the role of lifecycle assessment in informing investments in building lifecycle performance.
A WRAP study highlights companies using circular business models are outperforming linear ones in growth and resilience. The data underlines the increasing relevance of the Circular Economy in construction, where end-of-life reuse in construction and materials regeneration can address embodied carbon in materials and improve resource efficiency. Circular construction strategies could drive down both embodied carbon and life cycle cost, offering a scalable path to carbon neutral construction.
In the United States, over $48 million in public funds is being invested into water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades in Pennsylvania. The programme supports green infrastructure and resilient systems that indirectly bolster sustainable urban development. Retrofitting and improving ageing networks contribute to sustainable building design and reinforce low-impact construction methods critical to environmental sustainability in construction.
