Six for ’26: our key construction sector wishes for the rest of the year
Article
Published on 09/03/2026
Here are the key half-dozen construction sector developments we hope to see occur during the rest of this year. We’ve called them our Six for ’26 and their position in our list isn’t necessarily an indicator of their relative importance.
01
The industry continues to show the way in net zero, despite temporary negative political noise
Many of our prominent politicians are failing to provide the national lead on countering climate change required of them.
It’s true that the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act in 2017. This contained a legally binding commitment that the country would have net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The act also committed UK governments to set carbon budgets – limits on the amounts the country would emit – every five years. The idea was that these maximums would serve as stepping stones towards those overall mid-century objectives.
But although the act was supported by all the principal political parties when passed, there has, sadly, been some backsliding since. For example, both the main right-of-centre parties, the Conservatives and Reform UK are now committed to repealing the statute. As we outlined in a previous post, the reasons stated for this position are almost entirely based on fallacies and misconceptions.
Nor is the governing Labour party, while remaining admirably committed to the UK 2050 objective, entirely spotless. Before it was elected in 2024, it trumpeted the welcome notion of a £28bn green investment plan, for example. Unfortunately, however, this intention has been heavily diluted since.
The current government has also noticeably failed to insist on sustainable construction methods being employed when announcing major infrastructure projects.
The lesson building professionals should take from all this for 2026 is simple. They should ignore politicians and their policies, whenever possible, where these are unhelpful, and remain committed to achieving net zero with maximum speed. That means exploiting all feasible opportunities to use low-carbon or recycled materials, such as timber or cement, and source products from local suppliers, for example.
But although the act was supported by all the principal political parties when passed, there has, sadly, been some backsliding since. For example, both the main right-of-centre parties, the Conservatives and Reform UK are now committed to repealing the statute. As we outlined in a previous post, the reasons stated for this position are almost entirely based on fallacies and misconceptions.
Nor is the governing Labour party, while remaining admirably committed to the UK 2050 objective, entirely spotless. Before it was elected in 2024, it trumpeted the welcome notion of a £28bn green investment plan, for example. Unfortunately, however, this intention has been heavily diluted since.
The current government has also noticeably failed to insist on sustainable construction methods being employed when announcing major infrastructure projects.
The lesson building professionals should take from all this for 2026 is simple. They should ignore politicians and their policies, whenever possible, where these are unhelpful, and remain committed to achieving net zero with maximum speed. That means exploiting all feasible opportunities to use low-carbon or recycled materials, such as timber or cement, and source products from local suppliers, for example.
02
Widespread acceptance of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard on new build projects
The UK should acquire, for the first time, a definition of a net zero carbon building applicable to almost all constructions early in 2026.
This will come in the form of the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS), compliance with which will initially be voluntary.
The framework began development in 2022, when a large group of construction industry bodies came together to pursue the aim of producing this blueprint.
Those organisations featured some which currently operate their own building sustainability accreditation schemes. Examples include the UK Green Building Council, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institute of British Architects. The new standard is likely to largely replace many such initiatives.
The imminent version one of the UKNZCBS follows a six-month pilot programme, which began in September 2024. The scheme was tweaked following this exercise in the light of feedback from construction industry professionals.
One important feature of the new standard is that it sets stringent limits for factors that contribute to emissions, and thus effectively for buildings overall. This is a big difference from many current sustainability accreditation schemes. These don’t impose such caps but merely insist that all emissions, whatever their level, are offset or removed.
We hope that in 2026 the UKNZCBS will quickly become recognised as the industry standard and its accreditations for new buildings regarded as virtually inescapable.
Such an outcome will deliver several main benefits. The most important, of course, is that it will help reduce emissions. Widespread adoption will also starkly demonstrate the industry’s commitment to helping the UK achieve its net zero by 2050 goal. It will also help to counter the perception that the sector has been very slow to really tackle its huge carbon emission problem.
The framework began development in 2022, when a large group of construction industry bodies came together to pursue the aim of producing this blueprint.
Those organisations featured some which currently operate their own building sustainability accreditation schemes. Examples include the UK Green Building Council, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Royal Institute of British Architects. The new standard is likely to largely replace many such initiatives.
The imminent version one of the UKNZCBS follows a six-month pilot programme, which began in September 2024. The scheme was tweaked following this exercise in the light of feedback from construction industry professionals.
One important feature of the new standard is that it sets stringent limits for factors that contribute to emissions, and thus effectively for buildings overall. This is a big difference from many current sustainability accreditation schemes. These don’t impose such caps but merely insist that all emissions, whatever their level, are offset or removed.
We hope that in 2026 the UKNZCBS will quickly become recognised as the industry standard and its accreditations for new buildings regarded as virtually inescapable.
Such an outcome will deliver several main benefits. The most important, of course, is that it will help reduce emissions. Widespread adoption will also starkly demonstrate the industry’s commitment to helping the UK achieve its net zero by 2050 goal. It will also help to counter the perception that the sector has been very slow to really tackle its huge carbon emission problem.
03
Greater access to, and understanding of the need for, verified Environmental Product Declaration data
To minimise your planned building’s embodied emissions, you need reliable and current carbon factor index figures for all the products that might compose it.
The most reliable source of this data is usually an element’s environmental product declaration (EPD).
Data from an EPD comes from a rigorous life cycle assessment (LCA). This evaluates a product’s emissions from raw material extraction through to disposal or recycling.
To be valid, an EPD must have been verified by an accredited third party. This ensures the data is accurate, credible and conforms to the applicable product category rules.
In the UK, EPDs follow international standards, such as ISO 14025 and the European standard EN 15804. They are typically valid for five years, after which they usually need to be updated or re-verified.
One benefit of producing EPDs for manufacturers is they help sell their products in a highly competitive market that’s increasingly demanding demonstrably sustainable building materials. The declarations are now also often pre-requisites for public and private sector procurement tenders.
However, EPDs are not yet mandatory. That means projected embodied emissions too often can’t be calculated accurately, an essential step in achieving net zero.
We therefore hope that in 2026 acceptance of the need for EPDs to be produced and used will continue to spread in the industry.
Data from an EPD comes from a rigorous life cycle assessment (LCA). This evaluates a product’s emissions from raw material extraction through to disposal or recycling.
To be valid, an EPD must have been verified by an accredited third party. This ensures the data is accurate, credible and conforms to the applicable product category rules.
In the UK, EPDs follow international standards, such as ISO 14025 and the European standard EN 15804. They are typically valid for five years, after which they usually need to be updated or re-verified.
One benefit of producing EPDs for manufacturers is they help sell their products in a highly competitive market that’s increasingly demanding demonstrably sustainable building materials. The declarations are now also often pre-requisites for public and private sector procurement tenders.
However, EPDs are not yet mandatory. That means projected embodied emissions too often can’t be calculated accurately, an essential step in achieving net zero.
We therefore hope that in 2026 acceptance of the need for EPDs to be produced and used will continue to spread in the industry.
04
Widespread uptake of carbon reporting as a minimum by organisations
Another key weapon in the construction industry’s fight to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions that isn’t yet fully compulsory is carbon reporting.
This is the process of calculating and disclosing the emissions for which an organisation or building is responsible.
The process of generating carbon reports usually consists of the same broad stages, namely:
The process of generating carbon reports usually consists of the same broad stages, namely:
- Understanding the demands of a credible and respected emission calculation framework that should be followed, such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
- Collecting data.
- Calculating emissions.
- Revealing the results, perhaps as part of annual financial statements or – better still – in the form of dedicated, regular sustainability reporting.
Carbon reporting is currently compulsory in the UK for incorporated quoted companies. Although some exemptions exist, it’s also generally required of large private businesses and limited liability partnerships too. The latter types of organisation are defined as those meeting two of the following criteria:
- Annual turnover of £36m or more
- Gross assets (sometimes known as “balance sheet total”) of at least £18m
- Employee headcount of 250 or above.
One great benefit of carbon reporting is that it provides a reliable baseline for the further emission reduction efforts every organisation should make.
Like the generation of EPDs by product manufacturers, carbon reporting also often highlights environmental weaknesses in organisations’ operations, which need to be remedied. These can exist in areas such as energy use, raw material selection or transport. Addressing these can often lead to cost, as well as emission, reductions.
Also like the producers of EPDs, carbon reporting organisations build trust with important stakeholders, such as customers, investors, regulators and employees. Disclosure reduces the risk of them being accused of greenwashing – burnishing their reputations by exaggerating their sustainability credentials.
Compulsory carbon reporting only currently applies to around 12,000 of the 5.4 million active UK businesses, less than 0.25 per cent. In 2026, we therefore hope the number of construction companies securing the benefits of this form of transparency voluntarily will rise substantially.
Like the generation of EPDs by product manufacturers, carbon reporting also often highlights environmental weaknesses in organisations’ operations, which need to be remedied. These can exist in areas such as energy use, raw material selection or transport. Addressing these can often lead to cost, as well as emission, reductions.
Also like the producers of EPDs, carbon reporting organisations build trust with important stakeholders, such as customers, investors, regulators and employees. Disclosure reduces the risk of them being accused of greenwashing – burnishing their reputations by exaggerating their sustainability credentials.
Compulsory carbon reporting only currently applies to around 12,000 of the 5.4 million active UK businesses, less than 0.25 per cent. In 2026, we therefore hope the number of construction companies securing the benefits of this form of transparency voluntarily will rise substantially.
05
Greater funding for net zero projects from developers and financial backers
There’s a significant gap between the need for, and delivery of, finance by private sector groups such as developers and outside investors for sustainable buildings.
One cause of this problem is the public sector still being largely inactive in providing capital for these projects.
Another major reason for the gap is that creating green constructions often carries higher up-front costs than adopting conventional, carbon generating approaches. The initial prices of those steps mentioned earlier to cut embodied emissions can seem relatively high to people considering supplying funding, for example. The same can be said of measures to reduce eventual operational emissions, like installing renewable energy systems, smart power management or solar panels.
One remedy for this is more developers and other backers being prepared to take a longer-term view of their investments. Sustainable buildings are now virtually proven to out-perform conventional constructions financially over time. Green buildings typically deliver benefits such as higher sale prices, rental values and occupancy rates, as well as lower operating costs.
Another related problem has been caused by the current lack of a generally applicable construction sector sustainability accreditation. This has meant some investors wanting to back green buildings becoming sceptical or unsure about claims that projects are truly low carbon or net zero.
This issue can clearly be tackled by construction professionals implementing the new UKNZCBS. Failing that, they can at least pursue one of the current reputable building sustainability accreditations. As a minimum, they should be able to demonstrate that they’ve calculated projected emissions accurately, via dependable tools such as those we and others offer.
Construction professionals can also help to convince environmentally conscious investors by demonstrating they have recruited, trained and developed staff who can deliver genuinely sustainable buildings.
Elsewhere in the private sector, we’d like to see finance providers, such as banks, offer further flexible vehicles, such as low-interest loans, for sustainable constructions. Banks can also help by exhibiting greater tolerance towards borrowers in these cases, though features including offering longer repayment grace periods.
Another major reason for the gap is that creating green constructions often carries higher up-front costs than adopting conventional, carbon generating approaches. The initial prices of those steps mentioned earlier to cut embodied emissions can seem relatively high to people considering supplying funding, for example. The same can be said of measures to reduce eventual operational emissions, like installing renewable energy systems, smart power management or solar panels.
One remedy for this is more developers and other backers being prepared to take a longer-term view of their investments. Sustainable buildings are now virtually proven to out-perform conventional constructions financially over time. Green buildings typically deliver benefits such as higher sale prices, rental values and occupancy rates, as well as lower operating costs.
Another related problem has been caused by the current lack of a generally applicable construction sector sustainability accreditation. This has meant some investors wanting to back green buildings becoming sceptical or unsure about claims that projects are truly low carbon or net zero.
This issue can clearly be tackled by construction professionals implementing the new UKNZCBS. Failing that, they can at least pursue one of the current reputable building sustainability accreditations. As a minimum, they should be able to demonstrate that they’ve calculated projected emissions accurately, via dependable tools such as those we and others offer.
Construction professionals can also help to convince environmentally conscious investors by demonstrating they have recruited, trained and developed staff who can deliver genuinely sustainable buildings.
Elsewhere in the private sector, we’d like to see finance providers, such as banks, offer further flexible vehicles, such as low-interest loans, for sustainable constructions. Banks can also help by exhibiting greater tolerance towards borrowers in these cases, though features including offering longer repayment grace periods.
06
Clear government support and guidance for construction in helping to deliver the net zero by 2050 commitment
The government should do various things in 2026 to help the construction industry make its contribution to the UK becoming net zero by 2050.
These include maximising the availability of incentives, grants and loans for sustainable buildings.
Given the built environment’s huge contribution to generating emissions, another productive step would be making carbon reporting mandatory for all British construction businesses. This would bring the law into line with many respected currently voluntary industry sustainability standards, including the:
Given the built environment’s huge contribution to generating emissions, another productive step would be making carbon reporting mandatory for all British construction businesses. This would bring the law into line with many respected currently voluntary industry sustainability standards, including the:
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment, version two.
- UK Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Framework
- Forthcoming UKNZCBS
Implementing compulsion would provide much more comprehensive data on the current emission position in construction and therefore across the country than is currently available.
Another significant benefit of enforcement would be the focusing of many more construction industry minds on this issue. Regrettably, the need to manage and reduce emissions still plays an insufficient part in the thinking of too many sector operators. Knowing they are going to be publicly disclosing key details of their performance each year is almost sure to stir them into positive action.
Although we’d always generally much prefer persuasion to compulsion, sometimes enforcement is the only approach that brings the recalcitrant into line. In this case, mandating would be justified, as the net zero goal could hardly be more desirable or important.
Another significant benefit of enforcement would be the focusing of many more construction industry minds on this issue. Regrettably, the need to manage and reduce emissions still plays an insufficient part in the thinking of too many sector operators. Knowing they are going to be publicly disclosing key details of their performance each year is almost sure to stir them into positive action.
Although we’d always generally much prefer persuasion to compulsion, sometimes enforcement is the only approach that brings the recalcitrant into line. In this case, mandating would be justified, as the net zero goal could hardly be more desirable or important.
See how our tools such as the carbon calculator software for construction and carbon reporting software for construction can help your business today.
