The last 12 months in a row have each set record high temperatures for their respective month – an unprecedented streak in @nasa’s record. The record months are part of a long-term warming trend driven by human activities, especially greenhouse gas emissions.
May 2024 was the warmest May on record, marking a year of record-breaking monthly temperatures. Around the world, average temperatures were 1.14 °C (~2 °F) warmer than the 1951-1980 May average in NASA’s global temperature record, GISTEMP. Our temperature record starts in 1880 and uses data from instruments on ships and buoys and thousands of stations on land.
The 12 month streak was affected by El Niño, which usually causes warmer temperatures, among other factors. Earth is moving out of El Niño toward La Niña, which can cause relatively cooler temperatures. Even with La Niña’s influence, 2024 will likely be one of the hottest years on record.
This record heat wasn’t just seen on land. Ocean temperatures have also been breaking records. Overall, the ocean is absorbing about 90% of the excess heat in the climate from increased greenhouse gases from human emissions.
#Earth #Climate #ClimateChange #Temperature #Data #Science #NASA
Sustainable construction is moving from ambition to delivery as policy, procurement and building performance converge around whole life carbon, embodied carbon and life cycle cost.
Record uptake of Boiler Upgrade Scheme vouchers in Britain indicates that heat pumps are entering the mainstream for housing, retrofit and low carbon building specification. Germany’s 2045 phase-out of oil, gas and coal reinforces the direction for net zero carbon buildings across Europe: electrification, energy-efficient buildings and low carbon design are becoming market requirements, not optional sustainability claims.
The industry’s capacity to deliver remains the decisive constraint. Calls for stronger construction training and reskilling underline a core risk for environmental sustainability in construction: policy can drive demand, but competent labour determines whether sustainable building design performs in practice. The post-Building Safety Act regime raises the bar for building control, fire-safety competence and verifiable compliance.
Net zero whole life carbon ambitions depend on robust whole life carbon assessment, lifecycle assessment, sustainable material specification and evidence such as environmental product declarations (EPDs), not on poorly installed systems or untested green building products.
Circular economy in construction is shifting into practical specification. New guidance on reusing doors shows how embodied carbon in materials can be reduced through repeatable procurement, inspection, warranties and end-of-life reuse in construction. The next phase of green construction will rely on circular construction strategies, resource efficiency in construction, low embodied carbon materials and low carbon construction materials as much as new technology. Standards including BREEAM and BREEAM v7 will sharpen expectations for building lifecycle performance, carbon footprint reduction and credible eco-design for buildings. The sector’s credibility now rests on proving that sustainable building practices, eco-friendly construction and carbon neutral construction can withstand the scrutiny of installers, inspectors, clients and quantity surveyors.
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