A global assessment of the world’s top real estate investment managers has revealed widespread failure to consider whole life carbon in their sustainability plans. These firms, managing a combined $1.66 trillion in assets, are largely neglecting emissions from critical sources such as construction activities and tenancy operations. This oversight undermines efforts to deliver net zero Whole Life Carbon targets across the built environment and raises substantial regulatory and financial risks, further highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive Whole Life Carbon Assessment in investment and planning.
The UK construction sector faces rising climate-related risks as subsidence insurance claims exceeded £150 million in just six months, driven by increasingly volatile weather. With southern regions particularly affected, the urgency to implement low carbon design and energy-efficient buildings is rising. Shifting climate conditions demand both structural innovation and Life Cycle Costing analysis to ensure foundations and buildings adapt without escalating construction risk profiles. Insurers are already signalling escalating premiums unless buildings become more resilient and resource-efficient.
Biochar, recently validated by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market, is gaining credibility in carbon offset schemes and offers immediate potential for low carbon construction materials. Used as an additive in concrete and soil stabilisers, biochar contributes to carbon footprint reduction while maintaining material performance. Its adoption supports wider goals in sustainable construction by enhancing Embodied Carbon performance and supporting lifecycle assessment methodologies in real-world applications.
Concerns continue over the unequal treatment of sustainable building materials versus fossil-based alternatives, with current plastics subsidies projected to nearly double by 2050 unless curtailed. This undermines Circular Economy in construction strategies and creates barriers for low Embodied Carbon materials entering the mainstream. To support eco-design for buildings, financial frameworks must reflect the environmental sustainability in construction by favouring green building products and sustainable material specification.
Tensions between ecological restoration and heritage conservation are growing, particularly in regions pursuing aggressive rewilding efforts. Such measures, while essential to brownfield regeneration and green infrastructure, must be balanced with the protection of cultural assets that contribute to building lifecycle performance. Sustainable building design demands life cycle thinking in construction, ensuring biodiversity, heritage, and carbon impact are assessed in parallel.
