Sustainability

Data revealing the potential pothole damage caused by electric vehicles has strengthened the case for concrete roads, according to an industry body. Analysis by the University of Leeds shows that the average electric car more than doubles the wear and tear on roads, increasing the risk of small cracks which…

Ministers must create a hard-hitting taskforce to drive construction of a zero-carbon power network and step up the fight against global warming, a key report has urged. The Climate Change Committee report says the government needs to create a high-level infrastructure delivery group to take “swift action” to boost building…

The Scottish Government has said it is exploring what policy and financial incentives it could use to encourage the wider adoption of retrofit and other measures supporting net-zero carbon emissions in construction. A paper supporting plans to transition to net zero suggests discussion about what levers the government could use…

An influential group of MPs and peers has demanded a major government crackdown on carbon emissions from construction. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries called for a raft of policy changes to boost demand for wood by focusing on sustainability requirements for building materials. In a report…

As the Zero Diesel Sites Route Map is launched, CN asks if it will be a rocky road to follow The construction sector is seeking operational dividends by introducing green onsite plant to align with the government’s net-zero 2050 commitment. However, implementing change is complicated by the variety and complexity…

Mace is calling for the industry and government to adopt a presumption in favour of retrofitting and a requirement that explanations are given for proposed demolitions of non-domestic buildings. In a new report, the contractor and consultancy calls for a “consideration of retrofit” for every major planning application that involves…

Diesel will have disappeared from most construction sites by 2035, according to an industry-wide ‘route map’ supported by government. On Monday (6 June), minister of state Nusrat Ghani attended HS2’s Old Oak Common site (pictured) to launch a Zero Diesel Sites Route Map, an industry-authored document pledging to support the…

Buildings that are designed to use less energy during peak periods could be incentivised under a proposed update to BREEAM standards. On Wednesday (24 May), BRE launched a public consultation on a raft of changes to its widely-used sustainability assessment method. The organisation is mulling over whether to give credit…

A five-strong coalition of UK housing associations has appointed more than 100 firms to a £1.48bn framework to retrofit homes for energy efficiency.  The Greener Futures Partnership (GFP) – whose members Sanctuary, Hyde, Home Group, Anchor and Abri operate a combined total of around 300,000 homes – has named 107…

The government is handing Breedon Cement £230,000 to investigate the use of carbon capture and storage facilities (CCS) in its cement production. The Derbyshire-based company said the cash injection will allow it to “significantly advance knowledge of the infrastructure” needed to push the firm’s lime and cement plants in Derbyshire…