Sustainability

From bricks made of mushrooms to energy-generating paint, Construction News takes a look at some of the innovative building materials and products set to transform the industry Bio-concrete The Global Concrete and Cement Association says that concrete can self-heal to a degree. But one way to increase concrete’s self-healing ability…

Laura Perrin is a technical consultant at WPS Compliance Consulting Earth Overshoot Day marks the point each year when humanity’s demand for resources exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. This year it fell on 1 August. Globally, we have depleted the world’s annual resources in just 214 days.…

Rico Wojtulewicz is head of policy and market insight at the National Federation of Builders On 22 July, the Times reported that the government is considering whether development projects will be permitted to secure nutrient-neutrality mitigation during construction, rather than before work begins. While this acknowledges that the existing system is unfair,…

Simon Richards is sustainability director at Sir Robert McAlpine The scale of change needed and timescales involved in a green transition supports the argument that a depoliticisation of sustainability is necessary in order to make our ambitions a reality. Carbon continues to hog the limelight for sustainability – and while…

CN looks into the main parties’ manifestos as the UK general election approaches As the UK prepares to vote on 4 July, how have the main political parties’ manifestos approached the construction sector? Infrastructure The Conservative manifesto criticised “frivolous legal challenges” against big infrastructure schemes, after a five-year term in…

Tim Danson is director of sustainability and energy at consultancy Pick Everard Construction has a pivotal role to play in the circular economy. The industry remains heavily reliant on the use of materials, products and technologies, and is a significant contributor to the 100 billion tonnes of resources consumed globally…

Andy Heath is a senior building surveyor at property services firm Re:volve Real Estates Having worked for both major and specialised property firms, on commercial properties of all sizes, the recurring issue of faulty Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessments has been impossible to ignore. “We often work on projects assessed…

Pictured left to right: Fiona Lomas-Holt is director of sustainability and ESG, Mat Jones is senior director of planning, and Katy Lightbody is senior director of heritage and townscape at consultancy Turley Decarbonising buildings is critical to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but the strategy for it raises a…

Sean Ripley is principal ecologist at Mace As we mark Earth Day today (22 April), it is timely to reflect on the significant environmental policy shifts that have been rolled out in England and will shape the future of conservation through mandated biodiversity growth. “This Earth Day, let us all…

Jon Bootland is chief executive of the Passivhaus Trust, which promotes the adoption of the international Passivhaus eco-design standard in the UK Passivhaus is on the rise in the UK, with the Scottish Government developing a Passivhaus-equivalent policy for the energy efficiency of new-build housing, and local authorities and social…