Why we need to reduce the carbon produced during construction

Rightly, there’s a focus on all sectors at the minute to reduce their carbon and green their processes. Almost 40% of the world’s carbon emissions is down to buildings.

According to the World Green Building Council, heating, cooling, and general running of a building contributes 29% of carbon emissions and the remaining 11% is due to the way we build and the materials we use.

Something needs to be done.  

We’re pleased to be able to be part of a group of professionals who are looking to find long term solutions to this through partnering up with the Future Homes Hub.

The homebuilding community is on a rapid journey to reduce the “Whole Life Carbon” of new homes. 

From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will help reduce the “in use” carbon emissions by at least 75%.  With the switch to electric and high standards of fabric efficiency it will also be a “zero carbon ready” standard. 

At the same time, we need to reduce the carbon emissions embodied in products, and from the construction and maintenance of buildings.  

However, we currently lack the information needed to reduce embodied carbon quickly, while taking good decisions about how to reduce carbon emissions in the round and building better and safer homes for our customers.  

The 2023-2025 embodied and whole life carbon implementation plan will therefore bring homebuilders, manufacturers, expert and government organisations together to: 

• develop the tools homebuilders need to better understand and consistently/accurately measure embodied and whole life carbon  
• work with manufacturers to provide clear information on their products and what carbon reductions they will achieve in the future 
• develop benchmarks for the different types of homes we build 

This will not only help us get ready as government policy and financial requirements apply, but it will help us, as Places for People, create thriving communities that all our customers can benefit from.

Read the full report: Embodied and Whole Life Carbon 2023-2025 - Implementation plan for the homebuilding industry.

Read more about the project: Future Homes Hub.