Sustainability in construction is gaining momentum as industry leaders intensify their focus on reducing embodied carbon and achieving net zero whole life carbon targets. At the Museum of London redevelopment, contractor Sir Robert McAlpine is testing multiple low-carbon concrete mixes incorporating waste-based binders to cut the carbon footprint of construction. The project’s whole life carbon assessment aims to demonstrate measurable reductions in embodied carbon in materials, applying principles of sustainable building design and life cycle thinking in construction. These innovative low embodied carbon materials form part of a broader push toward carbon neutral construction and net zero carbon buildings, reinforcing environmental sustainability in construction at scale.

The shift towards a circular economy in construction is also evident in the growing reuse of Incinerator Bottom Ash (IBA). Once treated as waste, IBA is now reprocessed into secondary aggregates for infrastructure and green building materials, delivering significant resource efficiency in construction. The approach reflects circular construction strategies where end-of-life reuse in construction becomes a key method of reducing the environmental impact of construction while supporting a circular economy. By replacing virgin aggregates, the use of IBA cuts emissions, lowers costs, and improves building lifecycle performance. The results align with the green construction agenda and reinforce sustainable building practices that prioritise eco-friendly construction and renewable building materials.

London’s heating infrastructure is demonstrating the importance of green infrastructure in achieving whole life carbon savings. Veolia’s expansion of its Bermondsey heat network, supplying over 1,600 homes, captures waste heat from energy recovery to create more energy-efficient buildings. This model contributes directly to decarbonising the built environment, lowering operational and embodied carbon, and advancing low carbon design principles consistent with BREEAM and BREEAM v7 sustainability standards. The initiative exemplifies eco-design for buildings that combine renewable energy recovery with low carbon construction materials to deliver lasting carbon footprint reduction.

Developing a skilled workforce remains essential for embedding sustainable design into practice. PAH Building & Construction’s partnership with Basingstoke College, and Caxton Group’s academy initiative, both emphasise sustainable material specification and training aligned to environmental product declarations (EPDs). These programmes are vital to developing professionals fluent in lifecycle assessment, life cycle cost evaluation, and the integration of sustainable building practices. As low carbon building techniques evolve, education ensures that the sustainable construction workforce can apply life cycle thinking across planning, design, and delivery stages.

A wider economic case for sustainability continues to grow. A new report highlights that investments in resilient and climate-adaptive infrastructure yield average returns of 25%, confirming the financial strength of sustainable urban development. Projects integrating low-impact construction, renewable building materials, and climate-proof design yield both resilience and cost efficiency across a building’s lifecycle. The evidence underscores that whole life carbon management and sustainable architecture are not only environmentally prudent but strategically sound, blending economic rationale with the urgent necessity of achieving net zero carbon outcomes industry-wide.