Warren Fothergill, Premier Modular, analyses the findings of the Sustainable Construction Barometer 2025 and what they mean for the construction sector.
The findings of the Sustainable Construction Barometer 2025 are both sobering and rousing for the sector and its wider supply chains.
It’s clear that while awareness of sustainable construction is growing globally and there is a shared desire to improve, the UK still lags significantly behind, with only 24% of the population familiar with the concept.
The construction industry is responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions, which is why increasing the current levels of public awareness will be crucial in making sustainable construction the standard and reaching net zero targets.
The report underscores the strong sense of urgency with which sustainable construction needs to be implemented, and stakeholders must see this as a strategic priority.
What is the future of the construction sector?
It is essential that cross-sector collaboration aims to embed sustainability at every level – from public engagement to professional training and product innovation – emphasising the need for accelerated sustainable practices from the design phase and beyond.
In addressing this lack of awareness, the government, construction leaders, and environmental stakeholders will need to take a more proactive approach to education and raise the visibility of sustainable construction.
This can be done by integrating sustainability into the national education curriculum, from primary school through to vocational and higher education.
Leveraging public campaigns and partnerships with the media can help demystify sustainability in the construction sector, ensuring that it’s recognised as its own issue and not lost amongst wider environmental topics, such as energy efficiency and eco-friendly materials.
Also, celebrating and showcasing real-world case studies from companies leading the way in sustainability is a positive way to highlight that innovative building practices are not only achievable but also economically and socially beneficial.
Why there must be a focus on teaching new skills
The global rise in awareness is encouraging, but awareness on its own isn’t enough without the skills to drive change. There is a significant training gap that must be addressed through targeted Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules focused on sustainable design, materials science and life cycle analysis.
Trade-specific sustainability training can be delivered through apprenticeship schemes, colleges and professional bodies, such as the Institute of Environmental Management (IEMA). On-site and digital learning platforms are particularly useful as they offer flexible, practical and scalable instruction for all levels of the workforce.
Beyond training, systematic change is needed so that sustainable options become the standard, not the premium. Government investment must increase to support infrastructure projects that embed sustainability from the outset.
Doing this will underline its strategic urgency, as well as increase the likelihood of hitting the UK’s target of Net Zero by 2050.
Measures to encourage widespread understanding include the use of low-carbon and recycled materials, which can be incentivised through tax relief and procurement policies, and embedding circular economy principles that can promote the reuse and recycling of materials to minimise waste.
Regulatory frameworks, such as PAS 2080, can also be used to support innovation in sustainable construction without compromising on safety or affordability.
The government and key environmentalist stakeholders should also look to drive standardisation in sustainable practices to reduce the cost and complexity of compliance.
The future of construction is circular
Some highly impactful sustainable solutions are readily available and already in use. Lean manufacturing reduces material use, energy consumption, costs and timelines by focusing on eliminating waste and maximising efficiency.
Circular economy principles focus on designing buildings for disassembly and reuse, not demolition, reducing waste and embodied carbon emissions.
Circular design principles are exemplified in modern methods of construction (MMC), which inherently reduce waste, enable better quality control, increase safety and enhance energy efficiency.
Modular offers the ability to lease high-quality facilities that can be repurposed or moved to another location later down the line, a flexibility that not only future-proofs estates but also creates full circularity.
Certain low-impact materials, such as recycled steel, sustainably sourced timber and carbon-negative concrete alternatives are also already in use.
Looking ahead, there’s the potential for several exciting innovations to advance the sphere of environmentally conscious construction. Bio-based materials, like mycelium insulation and hempcrete, are up-and-coming and offer high performance with ultra-low embodied carbon.
Innovations around 3D printing are on the rise, which will reduce material waste and carbon footprints through the production of custom, on-demand components and precise manufacturing.
Smart building systems and measurable energy methods are becoming more accessible as technology, such as AI and IoT (Internet of Things), offering ways to optimise energy use in real-time.
Digital twin technology and BIM (Building Information Modeling) integration enables lifecycle management and maintenance scheduling, all whilst promoting sustainability by enhancing performance monitoring and energy optimisation.
The Barometer’s findings should be a wake-up for the sector, but also a catalyst for all stakeholders to take action. The response should be driven by the construction sector and supported through collaboration with the UK Government.
Construction must be sustainable, efficient and inclusive, right now, not just in the future. There are already building methods that offer a blueprint for how to build sustainably and responsibly.
By adopting lean manufacturing, investing in skills and pushing innovation, we can reshape our industry and its impact on the planet.
The post Sustainable Construction Barometer 2025: What is the sector’s future? appeared first on Circular Online.
