Sustainable construction in a changing regulatory landscape
Six months on from the implementation of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) and pressure remains on England’s construction firms to reconsider how projects are designed, delivered, and managed to meet environmental targets.
More stringent energy efficiency requirements have been introduced, with new build homes required to cut carbon emissions by approximately 30% and new commercial buildings by 27% compared to current standards. Meanwhile, increasing pressures to reduce embodied carbon are being driven by evolving regulations.
With roughly 40% of carbon emissions coming from the built environment it is unsurprising that the construction and infrastructure sectors are key drivers of change as Government seeks to reach net zero by 2050. As policies continue to be implemented, professionals must prepare now to stay competitive and compliant amidst an ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
What has changed?
UK Government continues to make policy shifts targeted at driving net-zero emissions, increasing environmental transparency and decreasing emissions. Updated building regulations now require higher energy efficiency and carbon performance for new buildings, including embodied carbon assessments and reporting, that’s the carbon emissions throughout the construction of a building.
In the infrastructure sector the introduction of PAS2080, the world’s first standard for managing carbon in buildings, means professionals need to embed carbon management excellence throughout the built environment supply chain.
It is not only Government that is putting the pressure on the construction and infrastructure sectors. Clients are demanding greater sustainability in the projects being delivered, to help meet their own Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets. These combined pressures mean that sustainability needs to be considered in every aspect of a project, from design and procurement to delivery and on-going reporting.
Sustainable construction: staying ahead with training and skills
As ESG expectations build, upskilling staff in the construction and infrastructure sectors with the practical and regulatory knowledge needed to match them, is a must. Whether that’s gaining knowledge on sustainable construction techniques, or carbon measurement and lifecycle assessment, or building the essential strategic leadership skills that are required to support a long term sustainability strategy.
Prepare with training that makes a difference
As the regulatory landscape continues to shift construction and infrastructure organisations require the practical knowledge and skills on the ground to comply to changing demands. With a wealth of courses available Synergie Training offers learning which is suitable for everyone from project managers, engineers and sustainability leads, to site teams looking to embed sustainability and ESG practices into everyday operations.
Explore our Renewables & Environmental training courses which help to ensure that today’s professionals will have the skills to thrive in the low carbon, sustainable future of construction and infrastructure.