In an effort to meet the net-zero 2050 target, the construction industry – which, according to the UK Green Buildings Council (GBC) contributes to approximately 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint – must seek drastic changes in sustainability.

With an estimated 80% of all buildings in 2050 already having been built, decarbonising existing stock will be essential, including the retrofitting of insulation, among other strategies. Heating alone results in 10% of the nation’s carbon footprint, and housing – of which there is an ongoing significant shortage – still contributes more substantially than all other building types put together. Since the pandemic, home working may result in the availability of office space for conversion, but how might this be achieved in line with the net-zero target?

Annual carbon emissions embodied through construction are currently higher than the GBC’s target for total built environment emissions by 2050. Along with road, transport infrastructure, and other aspects of civil engineering, buildings consume the largest proportion of natural resources, with the construction industry consuming around 6 tonnes of materials per year for every person living in the UK.

Our world is being strained by rapid population growth, economic development, and the need for more natural resources. We must work diligently to modify the way we build, manage, and dispose of our structures to ensure that the building industry meets the current population's needs, while also safeguarding the needs of future generations.