With the climate crisis continually worsening and the cost of energy and materials going up, it’s now even more important than ever that businesses and consumers opt for greener alternatives – in all aspects of their operations.

It is no secret that the construction industry needs to do more to reduce its carbon emissions – buildings are the largest source of climate emissions after surface transport in the UK, with 25% of emissions being directly attributable to the built environment.

One way that the industry can make progress towards achieving net zero is through green building – this refers to the application of processes in construction that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s lifecycle… from planning and design through to demolition.

There are many green building processes that can create solutions for different businesses looking to improve sustainability.

Retrofitting

Retrofitting is simply making old/current homes more energy-efficient and greener. Around 29 million homes will need retrofitting before 2050, which will not only keep homes warmer but also cause a decrease in gas demand by 20%. Most importantly, retrofitting helps to reduce health issues, whereby decreasing coldness in homes will see less illnesses, saving the NHS about £1.4bn each year.

Achieving energy efficiency certifications

There are many guides that can help you to rate and improve the energy efficiency of your office or residential building. For example, NABERS UK currently have two products available for UK Offices (Design for Performance to drive energy efficient new buildings, and NABERS Energy Ratings to measure energy-efficient of existing offices) with plans to expand outside of offices, so therefore people can take advantage of the services and make buildings more energy efficient.

Another green building process that could be beneficial is the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) – a research-based group that aims to raise standards in the built environment. It includes assessment, by a trained assessor, of energy, health, and wellbeing, innovation, land use, materials, management, pollution, transport, waste, and water. Any company using BREAAM will be able to cover a lot of bases to ensure that they are in line with regulations and contributing towards carbon goals.

With Energy Performance Certificate ratings changing from a minimum C standard required in all buildings from 2027, and B from 2030, it’s very important to implement these solutions to avoid fines in the future.

Finally, the WELL Certificate assesses the impact of a building on the health and wellbeing of its users. This evidence-based research explores the connection between buildings and the health and wellness impacts of the people using them – an essential part of any ESG policy, valuing the quality of life of the people that work there. The certificate also assesses the physical characteristics of the built environment, as this can also directly impact people’s health and wellbeing. Good quality housing along with access to areas like parks, greens space or recreational facilities can have strong and direct positive impacts on both our physical and mental health.

Investing in green building

There’s more to green building than just fighting against climate change – such as factoring in people’s physical and mental health. Therefore, as well as reducing costs, there are many benefits to implementing green building processes, and doing it as soon as possible.

If you’re in the construction industry and are looking to communicate your sustainability initiatives effectively, we’d love to hear from you. To find out more, please get in touch with our property and infrastructure team at propertyinfra@weareliquid.com.