Few topics are discussed more in construction today than sustainability and net zero is undoubtedly held up as the defining goal. It is almost sung in unison, particularly in political and regulatory discussions. While the intent behind this focus is positive, I think there is a real risk that, as an industry, we reduce sustainability to one or two highly frequented themes and lose sight of the bigger picture.

Net zero and CO₂ reduction are important, but they are not the objective in themselves.  They are a means to an end.  The real target is to improve the quality and longevity of our products while reducing their impact on people and the planet over the long term. This requires a more holistic and even more pragmatic approach to sustainability. In other words, one that also considers durability, performance, service life and circularity.

In some cases, the lowest CO₂ product may not be the most durable, or the option that delivers the longest lifetime value. Recycling, similarly, is not always linearly beneficial when viewed purely through a carbon lens. These are difficult trade-offs to confront, but they cannot be ignored.

When it comes to achieving sustainability targets, the biggest challenge is not necessarily setting or achieving them, it is a lack of definition. How can we pursue targets that are not clearly defined, consistently measured or uniformly reported? If we cannot measure something properly, it becomes impossible to have a meaningful discussion about progress. Instead, we end up with subjective conversations about what we feel is good or bad, and given the stakes involved and the impact on the planet, that is not good enough.

The construction industry has made enormous strides in recent decades, and  disproportionately more in the last 20 years than in the previous 100 years combined. While the pace of change and acceleration is enormous, without common standards for measurement and reporting, we struggle to demonstrate that progress or create a positive momentum.

My view is that we as an industry should prioritise establishing clear, standardised approaches to measuring CO₂ and wider sustainability performance, so that when we talk about progress, we have the same understanding and are all talking from the same baseline. If we want sustainability to genuinely improve outcomes, we need to move away from soundbites and towards clarity, pragmatism and a shared understanding.

13 March 2026

Back to News