The UK construction sector is moving towards large-scale sustainable energy infrastructure. The £200m financing of the Thorpe Marsh battery project, backed by the National Wealth Fund, demonstrates investment needed to stabilise renewable power supply and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Battery energy storage systems support the resilience of power infrastructure that underpins energy-efficient buildings and green construction projects, enabling future-proofed grids aligned with net zero carbon goals. Such infrastructure projects will increasingly shape the environmental sustainability in construction and building lifecycle performance.
Sir Robert McAlpine’s new Manchester spa complex illustrates the rising integration of sustainable building design with wellness and leisure facilities. Projects of this type showcase growing expectations for sustainable construction, where eco-design for buildings, low carbon design, and lifecycle assessment must guide both material choices and operational efficiency. Developers recognise that reducing whole life carbon in materials and ensuring lower whole life carbon emissions is essential to achieving net zero embodied carbon objectives in the sector.
Global standards continue to exert influence. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has issued a professional framework for responsible AI use in surveying, which can accelerate Whole Life Carbon Assessment and enhance resource efficiency in construction. By embedding digital tools to support sustainable design decisions, firms can improve accuracy in carbon footprint reduction strategies and streamline the process of end-of-life reuse in construction. This supports Circular Economy strategies and strengthens Life Cycle Costing across complex projects.
Policy shifts in Europe on textiles and food waste are shaping wider adoption of the circular economy. These changes carry implications for construction, especially in commercial fit-outs where sustainable building practices and sustainable material specification can leverage renewable building materials and green building products. Embracing Circular Economy in construction widens opportunities for reducing Embodied Carbon while maximising lifecycle performance and resource efficiency.
Climate risk remains central to sustainable urban development. Data showing World Cup venues already exposed to extreme heat and flooding highlight the urgency of low carbon building design that withstands climate pressures. Incorporating Climate Change considerations, eco-friendly construction choices, and green infrastructure will be key to reducing the environmental impact of construction while ensuring resilience. Net zero carbon buildings cannot overlook climate adaptation as part of their sustainable design requirements.
Sustainability in construction is now inseparable from economic decision-making. Life cycle thinking in construction requires balancing Whole Life Carbon with Life Cycle Cost, embedding environmental product declarations (EPDs) into procurement and low Embodied Carbon materials into practice. The shift towards decarbonising the built environment demands carbon neutral construction supported by BREEAM and future BREEAM v7 benchmarks. These frameworks are establishing the pathway towards genuinely sustainable building practices and Circular Economy strategies for the global industry.
