Last week, the EPA opened up the first round of applications for the Thriving Communities program, giving hopeful applicants like Nerbonne less than two months to navigate the complicated federal grantmaking process before Trump is sworn in. In fact, several EPA regions have yet to open their application processes, leaving some groups worried they won’t be able to complete their applications on time.
Congressional Republicans have been vocal about their intention to cut or limit the environmental justice grant program, characterizing it as a form of cronyism, providing support to political allies of Democrats and opponents of fossil fuels.
Trump himself suggested in a 2023 campaign video that he could “simply choke off the money” allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Ending environmental justice grantmaking is also part of the vision laid out in Project 2025, the policy roadmap that conservative groups drew up for Trump’s second term. Although Trump professed no familiarity with Project 2025 during the campaign, he has named authors of the plan to key positions in his new administration.
Project 2025 called for pausing and reviewing all environmental justice grants in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decisions against affirmative action.
Read more from @insideclimatenews on how Republicans plan to target environmental justice funding at the link in our bio.
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The recently completed Nord Pavilion in London highlights the rise of low-impact home extensions that balance architectural quality with environmental performance. By integrating natural light and energy-efficient design features, this project demonstrates how Whole Life Carbon and Embodied Carbon can be reduced through sustainable building design at a domestic scale. It stands as a clear example of eco-design for buildings that respond to both aesthetic and performance demands while contributing to environmental sustainability in construction.
Large-scale energy generation also influences the construction sector. The US programme to deploy next-generation nuclear reactors is reshaping not only energy supply but also methods of modular construction, permitting, and rapid project delivery. These approaches point to a growing recognition of Life Cycle Cost, lifecycle assessment, and Whole Life Carbon Assessment in infrastructure delivery. The adoption of low carbon construction materials and net zero whole life carbon strategies within such projects will be critical to reducing the carbon footprint of construction.
BKV Corporation’s 2024 Sustainability Report underscores the push toward a Circular Economy in construction through its closed-loop model. This forward-looking approach stresses Embodied Carbon in materials and the importance of circular construction strategies. The report aligns with industry adoption of life cycle thinking in construction, emphasising end-of-life reuse in construction and resource efficiency in construction, both essential for achieving net zero carbon buildings and building lifecycle performance.
Shifts in decentralised and flexible energy generation also carry direct implications for sustainable construction. New optimisation and smart grid strategies increasingly affect how energy-efficient buildings and low carbon buildings are designed, powered, and integrated into green infrastructure. Such systems enable the use of renewable building materials and eco-friendly construction practices, reinforcing the alignment between sustainable urban development and carbon neutral construction.
Momentum around international environmental treaties illustrates the broader movement toward regulating the environmental impact of construction and major infrastructure. These frameworks support sustainable building practices and sustainable material specification while compelling the industry to expand the use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) and green building products. Standards such as BREEAM and BREEAM v7 will remain central in benchmarking sustainable design against global goals for carbon footprint reduction.
The construction sector is transitioning toward sustainable architecture that combines low carbon design, green construction methods, and net zero carbon delivery. By prioritising sustainable building design, eco-friendly construction materials, and lifecycle assessment tools, the industry advances environmental sustainability in construction. The path forward depends on embedding Circular Economy principles across every stage of Whole Life Carbon performance, laying the foundation for genuinely sustainable construction practices worldwide.
Whole Life Carbon is a platform for the entire construction industry—both in the UK and internationally. We track the latest publications, debates, and events related to whole life guidance and sustainability. If you have any enquiries or opinions to share, please do
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