Indian voters are battling sweltering conditions to take part in the world's biggest election as a severe heat wave hits parts of the country and authorities forecast a hotter-than-normal summer for the South Asian nation.
The India Meteorological Department said a heat wave will affect parts of south and east India until the end of the week, including four states that are voting on Friday.
Gandhi Ray, a farmer in his 60s from eastern Bihar state, said he lives in a small hut in the forest, and will walk to a nearby village to vote. Temperatures above 41 C (105 F) are forecast every day until May 1 in his hometown of Banka district, according to the IMD.
"It's important for me to vote but definitely every day this heat is getting worse and worse," he told CNN. "I work outdoors mostly so I am used to it but as I get older it becomes harder to cope. Now my kids have taken over most of the work."
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📷: Sudipta Das/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The UK’s sustainable construction sector is moving from policy statements to measurable performance. The focus on embodied carbon is intensifying as the housing industry establishes an Embodied Carbon and Resource Efficiency Board to integrate whole life carbon assessment into new‑build standards. This development aligns with the growing demand for verified data through lifecycle assessment and environmental product declarations (EPDs), driven by the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Product‑level transparency is becoming an essential compliance factor within the framework of environmental sustainability in construction.
Material innovation is progressing. Wood fibre insulation and other low embodied carbon materials are being adopted in mainstream housebuilding, strengthening sustainable material specification and supporting the circular economy in construction. These renewable building materials combine low carbon design with improved indoor comfort, making green construction an attainable default rather than a niche practice.
Global climate pressures are redefining sustainable building design. The UN‑endorsed National Cooling Action Plan Methodology for the MENA region introduces a model for energy‑efficient buildings that balance passive strategies, efficient systems, and refrigerant management within net zero whole life carbon objectives. The approach complements BREEAM and BREEAM v7 frameworks that encourage eco‑design for buildings and sustainable building practices.
Developers and suppliers face stricter expectations for defensible whole life carbon performance, resource efficiency in construction, and life cycle cost transparency. Those unable to demonstrate reductions in the carbon footprint of construction or to apply circular construction strategies risk exclusion from competitive procurement. Clients and regulators increasingly link carbon neutral construction and sustainable design with building lifecycle performance, demanding actionable evidence that projects contribute to decarbonising the built environment and long‑term sustainability.
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