NZC Team – NZC Solutions https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk My WordPress Blog Thu, 08 May 2025 16:22:07 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/cropped-NZC-Favicon-32x32.png NZC Team – NZC Solutions https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk 32 32 NZC Solutions in the news | Q1 2025 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/nzc-solutions-news-q1-2025/ https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/nzc-solutions-news-q1-2025/#respond Thu, 08 May 2025 08:25:13 +0000 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/?p=2188

NZC Solutions in the news | Q1 2025

Article
Published on 08/05/2025
NZC Solutions in the news | Q1 2025

Welcome to the first of our quarterly posts summarising media coverage of NZC Solutions.

We really began creating headlines in the first three months of 2025, thanks to a couple of significant announcements we made.
These developments were deemed worthy of extensive coverage by many of the UK’s more prestigious construction industry media outlets.

Unique carbon calculator helps construction towards net zero

Firstly, in January, we announced the launch of our groundbreaking online carbon emission calculator. This is believed to be the first tool of its type designed specifically for the UK construction sector.

We believe the calculator will prove a major aid to the industry as it moves towards achieving net zero emissions.

Among the lengthy articles which appeared about the calculator’s launch was one in Construction UK. This piece included the point that the clear and simple, tailored tool provided the most accurate and comprehensive analysis of emissions for carbon reporting ever made available to the domestic building industry.

Design & Build UK told its readers our calculator was developed for construction professionals by construction professionals and avoided jargon. Its article highlighted that the tool spared users the time, energy and frustration involved in tasks like having to seek out individual product emission data.

The item also made the related point that the calculator met all relevant legal and regulatory standards, plus applicable governance procedures and methods, automatically.

BIM Plus explained to its readers how the innovation worked in detail and informed them that it had been in development for nine months. Meanwhile, Project Scotland understandably focused on the benefits the breakthrough offered construction industry professionals north of the border.

The calculator’s launch also featured on the website of leading annual industry event Digital Construction Week.

Their item highlighted that the tool future proofed users. This was because it aligned with version seven of the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and updated Part Z Building Regulations, for example.

Founder slams government’s missing commitment to sustainable construction

This media blitz was followed in February by further prominent coverage of us in titles such as Construction UK. This reported that Tim Reeve, our founder and managing director, had criticised the Westminster government for a key omission.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves had just announced the administration’s backing for a series of major new infrastructure projects. These included the building of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The initiatives also featured the creation of the Lower Thames Crossing, a tunnel between Essex and Kent, and a railway arc linking Oxford and Cambridge.    

The coverage quoted Tim, referring to Ms Reeves’ announcement, as saying: “This address ran to over 5,500 words, yet mentioned carbon only four times, with emissions and net zero being referenced merely twice each, for example.

“Moreover, none of these inclusions was in the context of the government being willing to use its undoubted influence to encourage sustainable construction.”
Tim said this could be achieved through making developments energy efficient, using low emission materials, adopting enlightened waste management techniques and minimising water usage. 

His comments led to another leading industry publication, Design & Build UK, requesting that he should expand on these views for them in an in-depth interview.
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What is net zero? https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/what-is-net-zero-construction-uk/ https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/what-is-net-zero-construction-uk/#respond Wed, 23 Apr 2025 09:54:31 +0000 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/?p=2222

What is net zero?

Article
Published on 23/04/2025
What Is Net Zero in Construction?
Page Menu

1. Introduction

In the context of UK construction, a company is said to have achieved net zero when it has established a balance.

That equality is between the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) it emits and the total it offsets or removes from the atmosphere.
We’ll explain offsetting and removal shortly, but first a word of definition about GHGs.

Greenhouse gases are those in the environment that trap heat released from the earth and make the planet warmer. We often hear GHGs described as if they consisted of carbon alone.

This is because most GHGs, including those arising from construction, are in this form. But GHGs technically include gases such as methane and nitrous oxide too. 
Sharply increased production of GHGs by humans in recent decades has warmed the earth and created massively enhanced risks of disastrous events occurring. These include:
Floods
Famines
Pandemics
Land becoming uninhabitable, due to rising sea levels
There’s therefore an urgent need for humanity to cut its emissions hugely.

The built environment accounts for about 40 per cent of all GHG emissions, both in the UK and globally. So, there’s clearly a massive onus on the construction sector to play its part in reducing them. 

The UK’s goal is for the construction sector to have a net-zero carbon footprint – the total emissions for which it’s responsible -by 2050. This is in line with the country’s broader climate aims. The equivalent date for Scotland alone is 2045.

The UK’s objective is accompanied by an interim target of a 68 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030.
These objectives cover both direct and indirect emissions from construction activities. Direct emissions include those arising from:
Energy use
Materials manufacturing
Transportation
Machinery
Indirect emissions embrace those produced by:
Carbon embodied in materials
Energy used in buildings after completion
Net zero in UK construction is therefore not just about reducing emissions during the building phase. It’s also about ensuring the entire lifecycle of a structure contributes as little as possible to global warming, at stages including:
Design
Operation
Eventual demolition
Let’s break down the key components of net zero in more detail:

2. Carbon emissions in construction

Carbon emissions in construction come from various sources.
They can be broadly categorised into:

Embodied (emissions from carbon embedded in materials)

These are emissions associated with building components:
Production
Transportation
Disposal
Significant contributors to embodied emissions include:
Concrete and cement, whose production is especially carbon intensive
Steel
Glass
Reducing embodied emissions therefore involves choosing low-carbon alternatives, such as:
Sustainable timber
Recycled ingredients
Locally sourced materials, to reduce emissions caused by transportation
Low-carbon concrete alternatives, like the geopolymer sort. This is a strong and durable cement-free concrete, rich in silica and alumina, made from industrial waste or natural materials.

Construction (emissions during the building of structures)

These are emissions generated by:
Machinery
Transportation
Activities of workers during the construction process
Emissions produced at this stage can be optimised by:
Using electrically powered machinery
Improving on-site logistics
Reducing waste and transportation distances
Other ways of cutting emissions during this phase can include:
Switching to electric vehicles
Using hydrogen-powered equipment
Optimising construction schedules

Operational (emissions from the functioning of completed buildings)

These include emissions from energy consumption during the building’s life, to power, for example:
Heating
Cooling
Lighting
Electrical devices
To achieve net zero, buildings must use low-carbon energy sources, such as:
Wind
Solar
District heating systems, which deliver heat and hot water from central sources to multiple buildings
Operational carbon emissions can also be reduced through energy-efficient designs and systems, like:
High-performance insulation
Triple glazing
Passive design strategies. These maximise natural elements to reduce energy demand from systems for:
Heating
Cooling
Lighting
Passive design considerations can include:
Orientation
Thermal mass. This means the ability of materials to absorb and store heat. Ingredients with high thermal masses, like brick and concrete, take longer to heat up and cool down. They thus reduce the temperature fluctuations that can lead to high energy demand.
Natural ventilation
Daylighting
Shading

3. Carbon offsetting and sequestration

We mentioned earlier that net zero is reached when a business fully offsets its unavoidable GHG emissions or removes an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.
Ways of achieving this balance include:

Carbon offsetting projects:

The most common way of offsetting a level of emissions is buying the appropriate number of instruments called carbon credits. Each is effectively a permit allowing a business to emit a ton of GHG.

The price the company pays for each credit – in practice a donation – supports a project that protects or enhances the earth.

So, buying credits might see a construction business investing in programmes that absorb carbon elsewhere, such as initiatives delivering:  
Reforestation, the planting of new trees in areas previously forested
Afforestation, where trees are planted in new locations or places which have been unforested for a long time 
Generation of renewable energy, which displaces carbon-emitting power produced from non-renewable fossil fuels, like coal and oil.

Carbon sequestration:

Another route to net zero is carbon sequestration. This is a natural or artificial process by which carbon is captured, removed from the earth’s atmosphere and permanently stored, in solid or liquid form.

In construction, sequestering can happen via building constituents.

For example, bio-based materials absorb carbon during their natural growth phases, which remains locked in once they have become part of buildings. Construction ingredients in this category include:
Wood
Hemp
Bamboo
An example of a manufactured sequestering material is Hempcrete, made by mixing hemp shiv, the woody core of the plant, with a lime binder. This is used for purposes such as insulation and walling.   

4. Net zero building design principles

Designing buildings that align with net zero principles requires adopting a whole-life approach, which includes both operational and embodied carbon.
Key strategies cover:

Passive design:

We explained this approach earlier

Building fabric performance:

A building’s thermal envelope consists of its:
Walls
Roof
Floor
Windows
Doors
This must be highly efficient, to reduce heat loss or gain and therefore energy needs for warming and cooling. Some features that help are:
Super-insulation
Triple-glazed windows
Airtightness

Energy use and systems:

Net zero buildings often rely on renewable energy for electricity and heating, via items such as:
Solar panels
Wind turbines
Ground-source heat pumps
Significant roles in reducing energy consumption are also played by:
Low-energy heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
Smart building technology, which uses features like integrated systems, sensors and automation to optimise aspects such as energy management 

Building management systems (BMS):

A BMS is a computer-based program that monitors and controls building features, including security and fire systems. It therefore helps maintain comfortable conditions and safety.  

But an advanced BMS also allows the real-time monitoring of:
Energy consumption
Lighting
HVAC
It can thus help make a building more efficient, by adjusting usage to actual needs.

5. Sustainable materials and construction practices

The choice of materials and the construction process are critical to achieving net zero.
Strategies to reduce embodied carbon and improve sustainability include:

Using low-carbon materials:

Instead of deploying high-carbon ingredients, like steel and cement, using:
Low-carbon concrete, such as the geopolymer sort we mentioned earlier or a carbon-capturing type. The latter involves captured carbon being integrated into the concrete’s structures. This effectively reduces its emissions and potentially turns it into a sink, which absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. That integration can be achieved by various methods, including injecting carbon into the concrete during the mixing process or using carbon-rich solutions during manufacturing.
Timber from sustainably managed forests

Deploying recycled materials

The carbon footprint of a building’s construction phase can also be reduced by incorporating recycled materials, such as:
Steel
Glass
Bricks

Adopting circular economy practices:

Embodied carbon can be significantly lowered by emphasising:
Building reuse
Adaptive reuse, through renovating existing buildings, instead of demolishing them and building new ones.
Also, designing for deconstruction allows materials to be salvaged and reused in future projects, extending their lifespan and reducing waste.

Improving construction waste management:

A more sustainable, lower-carbon construction industry can be advanced by:
Minimising waste during construction
Improving recycling practices
Repurposing surplus materials

6. Regulations and standards for net zero

To guide, support and monitor progress towards net zero in construction, various standards and frameworks have been developed, including:

UK Government’s 2050 net zero target:

As mentioned earlier, the UK government committed in 2019 to the whole country becoming net zero by 2050. This has significant implications for all industrial sectors, including construction.

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Framework:

This blueprint provides guidance for defining and achieving net zero carbon buildings. It stresses the importance of reducing emissions from both the construction and operational phases and includes strategies for carbon offsetting.

Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM):

BREEAM is a globally recognised sustainability assessment and certification method for buildings throughout their lifecycles. It has net zero as a benchmark for projects and includes criteria for:
Energy efficiency
Carbon emissions
Material use
Waste

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Sustainability and Net Zero Guidelines:

The RICS has outlined a series of best practices and standards for achieving sustainable construction and net zero carbon buildings. These cover:
Carbon measurement
Lifecycle assessments
Climate adaptation

7. Government and industry collaboration

Achieving net zero in construction requires collaboration across multiple sectors:

Government policies and incentives

These support low-carbon construction through:
Grants
Regulations
Incentives
Assistance is available for:
Renewable energy use
Energy efficiency improvements
Adopting green technologies

Industry innovations

These are driven by advances in features which help optimise design and construction efficiency, such as:
Material science
Construction techniques
Digital tools, like Building Information Modelling, or BIM. This technique uses digital representations of a structure’s physical and functional features to help in its planning, design, construction and management.

Skills development

This is crucial, as construction industry professionals need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to implement low-carbon technologies and sustainable practices effectively.    
Building reuse
Adaptive reuse, through renovating existing buildings, instead of demolishing them and building new ones.

8. Conclusion

Net Zero in UK construction is a holistic, long-term strategy that combines:
Reducing emissions in construction and building operations
Using sustainable materials
Embracing energy-efficient designs
Leveraging renewable energy systems
The UK construction industry must transition towards these practices to meet the country’s broader climate goals. Doing so will involve significant changes in how buildings are:
Designed
Built
Operated
Success will require a strong commitment to:
Innovation
Sustainability
Collaboration across all stakeholders
See how our construction reporting tools such as NZC Plus and Pro can help your business today. 
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Understanding net zero carbon reporting in the UK construction sector https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/net-zero-carbon-reporting-uk-construction-explained/ https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/net-zero-carbon-reporting-uk-construction-explained/#respond Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:23:08 +0000 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/?p=1955

Understanding net zero carbon reporting in the UK construction sector

Article
Published on 03/04/2025
Understanding net zero carbon reporting in the UK construction sector
Carbon reporting refers to the process by which businesses track and disclose their emissions. They should do this with the aim of achieving net zero, when the carbon they emit is balanced by the total removed from the atmosphere.

1. What is net zero?

Strictly speaking, the term net zero covers all greenhouse gases – those in the environment that trap heat released from the earth and make it warmer. These include methane and nitrous oxide, as well as carbon.

But the terminology tends to refer to carbon alone, as most greenhouse gas emissions, including those relating to construction, are in this form.

2. What is net zero carbon reporting?

For construction companies, net zero carbon reporting means assessing emissions from every stage of a project, including:
Procurement
Manufacturing
Transportation
Site activity
Waste management
The built environment accounts for 40 per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions, so construction is at the forefront of driving change towards sustainability. The need for net zero carbon reporting has become urgent in recent years, for global reasons including:
Accelerating climate change. Increasing global warming creates sharply increased risks of disastrous events taking place, such as floods, famines and land becoming uninhabitable. The United Nations reported in 2025 that the previous year was likely to have been the hottest on record.
The Paris Agreement, the legally binding treaty on tackling climate change adopted by about 200 countries, including the UK, in 2016. This aims to hold the increase in worldwide average temperatures this century to well below two degrees Celsius above pre-1900 levels.

Why net zero carbon reporting is crucial for the UK construction sector

1. Alignment with national sustainability goals

Pressure on the UK construction industry to play a crucial role in emission reductions has also been applied through domestic measures such as the:
Clean Growth Strategy, unveiled in 2017, which sets out how the UK government plans to decarbonise all sectors of the economy throughout the 2020s.
Amendments in 2019 to the Climate Change Act 2008. These mean the UK now has an ambitious goal of achieving net zero overall by 2050 (the equivalent date for Scotland alone is 2045). This aim is accompanied by an interim target of a 68 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030.
Building Safety Act 2022, which transformed the law concerning the design and construction of all buildings.
Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Sector) (England and Wales) Regulations. These have stated since 2022 that privately rented properties must have Energy Performance Certificate ratings of E or better, unless they qualify for an exemption.
UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, introduced in 2024, which aims to establish a single, clear definition of net zero carbon for all building types.
Future Homes Standard, to be implemented in 2025, which requires features like low carbon heating and high energy efficiency in new English dwellings.
Carbon budgets set by the Westminster government, which prescribe legally binding five-year caps on emissions.
Upcoming changes to Building Regulations. These set minimum standards for the design, construction and alteration of buildings, aiming to ensure safety, health and welfare.
The government’s push for green recovery post-pandemic has further emphasised the importance of decarbonising industries, including construction.
By adhering to these measures, construction companies contribute directly to the achievement of national targets, while avoiding penalties and reputational risks.

2. Increasing client demand for transparency and sustainable practices

As environmental consciousness grows among the public, clients are increasingly expecting sustainability metrics from their contractors. These demanding groups include:
Government bodies
Large corporations
Developers
For example, the Greater London Authority has collaborated with the Mayor of London’s Environment Strategy. The latter integrates all aspects of the capital’s environment, including air quality, infrastructure and waste. 

The two have developed a framework for construction projects to achieve carbon neutrality. Developers and contractors must show clear evidence of net zero commitments through carbon emissions tracking and reporting. 

This includes adopting greener practices in:
Material sourcing
Energy use
Site management
For example, the Greater London Authority has collaborated with the Mayor of London’s Environment Strategy. The latter integrates all aspects of the capital’s environment, including air quality, infrastructure and waste. 

The two have developed a framework for construction projects to achieve carbon neutrality. Developers and contractors must show clear evidence of net zero commitments through carbon emissions tracking and reporting. 

In addition to clients, investors are prioritising sustainability and assessing businesses based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Notably, these organisations are increasingly demanding their portfolio companies, including construction firms, publish carbon reduction targets and accounting. 

Those backers include pension funds and other institutional investors, such as giant multinational asset advisers and managers Legal & General and BlackRock. 
The requirements of such businesses align with broader trends in green investment, where companies that fail to meet these expectations risk losing out on potential capital.

3. Long-term cost savings through energy efficiency

Another reason to focus on carbon reporting is the opportunity for financial savings. Adopting sustainable practices and net zero goals tends to reduce operational costs in the long run. 

For instance, energy-efficient buildings and low-carbon construction processes typically lower: 
Long-term energy consumption
Waste disposal costs
Additionally, contractors can potentially reduce procurement costs over time by using eco-friendly building materials like:
Recycled aggregates
Low-carbon cement
The prices of these options are expected to decrease as demand rises and production processes scale. Long-term savings will then be realised through improved efficiency and reduced operational costs.

Companies embracing sustainable practices can also improve their resilience against volatile energy prices, further stabilising operational expenses.
Furthermore, early adoption of carbon reporting opens up cost assistance options from bodies such as the UK Green Finance Institute. This is a government adviser that tests, demonstrates and scales solutions needed to accelerate the transition to a net zero economy.

The institute has been instrumental in promoting sustainable construction projects through green bonds, eco-loans and other products. These offer favourable rates to companies committed to sustainability and carbon reporting systems are often prerequisites for accessing them.

Importantly, many government-backed incentives are also available for low-carbon projects, such as tax breaks and grants for:
Energy-efficient building retrofits
Renewable energy installations
These can provide substantial savings in capital expenditures.

Steps involved in net zero carbon reporting for construction companies

Achieving net zero requires a detailed, multi-step process to ensure that emissions are accurately:
Measured
Monitored
Reduced over time
Here’s a deeper dive into each step involved:

1. Adopt a standardised carbon reporting framework

Having a clear framework for measuring emissions is key. Some commonly used templates include:
Greenhouse Gas Protocol: This globally recognised standard was developed by the World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. It provides methods for calculating and reporting emissions, dividing these into three categories or “scopes” (see next section).
ISO 14064: Produced by the independent, global International Organization for Standardization, this is specifically focused on greenhouse gas quantifying and reporting.
Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2050: Developed by the British Standards Institution, this focuses on a life-cycle analysis of products. It is particularly useful for evaluating the emissions associated with building materials.
By following these frameworks, companies can standardise their reporting processes, ensuring consistent and reliable data that can be trusted by stakeholders, such as:
Investors
Clients
Regulators
These standards also help construction companies compare their performances to industry benchmarks.

2. Establishing a baseline carbon emission profile

The first active step in reporting and reducing carbon emissions is measuring them accurately. This begins with establishing a baseline emissions profile, which provides an essential benchmark for future efforts to reduce them.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol outlines three types of emission, all of which must be calculated if measurement is to be thorough:
Scope 1 (direct emissions): Construction companies must measure emissions from on-site activities, including fuel used in machinery, vehicles and heating equipment.
Scope 2 (indirect emissions): This includes emissions from energy consumed on-site, such as electricity or heating sourced from external utilities.
Scope 3 (upstream and downstream emissions): This encompasses the supply chain, transportation of materials, subcontractor activities and waste disposal.
An important aspect of calculating Scope 3 emissions is working with suppliers and subcontractors to gather detailed data. This step often involves garnering accurate information about:
Materials
Transport logistics
Product lifecycles
 Companies must ask key questions, such as:
What’s the embodied carbon of this material? That refers to emissions associated with its extraction, manufacturing and transportation.
How do we mitigate emissions from transport?

3. Use digital tools and technologies

Carbon reporting can be made less complex by using digital tools and technologies specifically designed for construction projects. These include:
Building information modelling (BIM): This provides real-time data for energy usage, material selection and waste generation throughout the construction process. By using BIM to track emissions, construction teams can quickly identify high-impact areas for carbon reduction.
Energy management systems (EMS): These allow companies to monitor energy consumption in real time, helping them identify inefficiencies and areas where emissions can be reduced.
Carbon management software: Tools like NZC PRO, NZC Plus or NZC LIVE allow businesses to track, analyse and report their emissions over time. This enables them to align outcomes with carbon reduction targets.
These tools can reduce manual data collection errors and provide actionable insights into where changes can be made to reduce emissions.

4. Use verification and third-party certification

After compiling emission data, it’s essential to have it verified by an independent third-party. This process adds credibility to the carbon report, ensuring accuracy and authenticity. To confirm their carbon footprint and emission reduction efforts, companies can partner with accredited certifiers, such as:
The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). This very widely used scheme evaluates and certifies the sustainability performance of constructions throughout their lifecycles.
ISO 14064, which we explained earlier.
Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB). This provides independently evaluated ESG data to investors, asset managers and other financial market professionals.
Certification from these sources also gives construction companies an opportunity to market themselves as leaders in sustainability, attracting clients who prioritise green credentials. Furthermore, third-party certification helps with regulatory compliance, by demonstrating that carbon reductions are genuine.

Challenges in achieving and reporting net zero carbon for the construction industry

1. Data complexity and accuracy

Main barriers to effective carbon reporting include the complexity and accuracy of data. Construction projects often involve vast networks of:
Suppliers
Subcontractors
Contractors
Each of these will have their own emission profile. Tracking and verifying emission data across this complex ecosystem thus requires significant effort.

Construction companies must therefore invest in data management systems. These automate information collection and ensure that emissions are reported consistently across all phases of a project.

2. Challenges in Scope 3 emissions

Tracking Scope 3 emissions is challenging, due to this lack of standardisation and inconsistent data from suppliers. This can be particularly true in the areas of:
Material sourcing
Transportation
Subcontractor activities
This is compounded by the international nature of many supply chains. Materials may come from countries which have different carbon reporting standards or even lack carbon data altogether.

Construction companies must collaborate closely with suppliers to gather accurate emission data for each material, including its embodied carbon.

3. Cost of transitioning to sustainable practices

As mentioned earlier, many sustainability measures will lead to cost savings in the long run. But initial investments can be high when companies make changes such as switching to:
Low-carbon equipment
Eco-friendly materials
Energy-efficient processes
This is especially true for smaller companies, that may lack access to capital.

Opportunities for the UK construction industry in net zero carbon reporting

1. Innovation in low-carbon construction materials

The demand for low-carbon materials is driving innovation in the construction sector. Companies can capitalise on the growing availability of sustainable building materials, including:
Recycled content
Bio-based materials like Hempcrete, made by mixing hemp shiv, the woody core of the plant, with a lime binder. This is used for purposes such as insulation and walling.
Alternative low-carbon concrete mixtures
By adopting these materials early, construction companies can reduce their emissions and demonstrate leadership in sustainability.

2. Financial incentives and green investment

The preferential green finance options, government incentives and attraction of sustainable investors mentioned earlier are increasingly available to companies adopting carbon reporting and sustainability practices.

Conclusion

Net zero carbon reporting isn’t just an environmental necessity for the UK construction sector – it’s also a strategic imperative. By committing to carbon reporting and reduction, companies can:
Gain a competitive edge
Reduce operational costs
Meet regulatory obligations
Contribute to the UK’s 2050 net zero target
The construction sector can lead the way in sustainable practices through:
Detailed reporting
embracing low-carbon innovation
leveraging technology
By investing in carbon management today, businesses can set themselves up for long-term success in a world that is increasingly prioritising environmental responsibility. 

See how our construction reporting tools such as NZC Plus and NZC Pro can help your business today.
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Leading expert criticises government for lack of overt commitment to sustainable construction in infrastructure announcements https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/article/expert-criticizes-lack-of-sustainable-construction-in-government-growth-plans/ Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:41:00 +0000 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/?p=1834

Leading expert criticises government for lack of overt commitment to sustainable construction in infrastructure announcements

Article
Published on 11/02/2025
Leading Expert Criticises Government For Lack Of Overt Commitment To Sustainable Construction In Infrastructure Announcements
A leading expert on sustainable construction has criticised the government for a key omission from its recent announcements of backing for major infrastructure projects.
Tim Reeve, managing director of Net Zero Consulting (NZC) Solutions and a former technical director of UK top 20 construction company Winvic, who has over three decades’ experience in the building industry, said the missing element was a commitment to encouraging sustainable construction when the work began.

The high-profile initiatives include the creation of a third runway at Heathrow Airport, the Lower Thames Crossing – a tunnel between Essex and Kent, providing direct access to the port of Dover for exporters in the Midlands and north – and a new railway arc between Oxford and Cambridge. The latest major development in the story came last Friday (7 February), when energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband confirmed, despite earlier speculation to the contrary, that he supported the government’s Heathrow expansion plans.

Mr Reeve took the example of a speech on the projects by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves at the Siemens Healthineers site in Oxford to make his point about sustainable construction.
He said: “This address ran to over 5,500 words, yet mentioned carbon only four times, with emissions and net zero being referenced merely twice each, for example.

“Moreover, none of these inclusions was in the context of the government being willing to use its undoubted influence to encourage sustainable construction, through elements such as making developments as energy efficient as possible, using low emission materials, adopting enlightened waste management techniques and minimising water usage.”
Mr Reeve acknowledged that the UK was still committed to important overall environmentally friendly objectives, such as having net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

He added, however, that his regret about the government’s omission was particularly acute, as the forthcoming projects were not only major initiatives in themselves but would induce significant knock-on effects too.
Mr Reeve said: “Take the example of the Oxford-Cambridge railway arc. Although on the surface this is less significant than many of the other measures, it’s likely to lead to new reservoirs in Cambridge and make any number of new homes necessary and viable in places such as Milton Keynes, as well as the two varsity cities.

“The government is even talking about building a whole new town at Tempsford, in Bedfordshire, where the projected Oxford-Cambridge railway line will intersect with the East Coast Main Line.”
Mr Reeve said the government’s omission was all-the-more more disappointing as many industry professionals apparently still needed to be informed that sustainable construction was not that difficult to achieve in 2025.
He said: “Energy efficiency can be enhanced easily, through measures such as installing appropriate insulation, fitting double or tripled glazed windows, and incorporating features such as solar panels, wind turbines and ground source heat pumps.

“Readily available sustainable building materials include recycled steel, concrete and glass. You can also use timber from responsibly managed forests and items like bamboo and straw bales, which have low carbon footprints compared to traditional ingredients, for example.”
Mr Reeve said effective management of the considerable waste that major construction work could produce centred on minimising the amount going to landfill sites. He said this could be achieved through steps such as having project waste management plans in place from the outset, sending materials like concrete, bricks and metals for recycling, and using prefabricated components, where possible.
He said: “When it comes to reducing water usage, available initiatives include installing facilities for collecting and storing rain for purposes such as toilet flushing. You can also install low-flow taps, showers and toilets, plus incorporate equipment to treat and reuse greywater from sinks and showers for landscape irrigation.”
Mr Reeve said the government’s silence apparently meant the level of environmental friendliness among the vital projects it was backing would be left to those working on them.
He said: “In my view, this is a significant oversight and represents an important opportunity missed, especially as we’ve just learned that last month was the warmest globally since records began.”
NZC Solutions, founded by Mr Reeve during 2023, develops innovative software helping businesses in the UK construction industry accurately calculate, report, reduce and promote their carbon footprints. Its customers include developers, main contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers and manufacturers.
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Ex-Winvic Technical Director launches unique carbon calculator for UK construction industry https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/nzc-news/press-release/uk-construction-carbon-calculator-launched/ Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:42:00 +0000 https://www.nzcsolutions.co.uk/?p=1758

Ex-Winvic Technical Director launches unique carbon calculator for UK construction industry

Press Release
Published on 07/01/2025
Tim Reeve NZC Director
Tim Reeve MD NZC Solutions
What is believed to be the first online carbon emission calculator designed specifically for the UK construction industry has been launched.
The platform has been developed by NZC Solutions, a business founded in 2023 by Tim Reeve, a former technical director of top 20 British construction company Winvic. Mr Reeve has more than 30 years’ experience in the building sector.

NZC Solutions, which develops dedicated software innovations for the British construction industry, says the clear and simple, tailored calculator provides the most accurate and comprehensive analysis of emissions for carbon reporting ever made available to the domestic building sector.
Explaining how the cloud-hosted platform works, Mr Reeve said:
“Users enter basic information about factors such as product mixes and quantities, via straightforward means such as drop-down boxes. Each entry then links automatically to the material’s most reliable and robust emission data source, such as its Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).

“That document is part of our extensive construction datapoint library, containing only audited and verified real time carbon details about thousands of building products and materials. This facility is made possible by application programming interfaces, that allow varieties of software to communicate with each other easily.”
Mr Reeve said the calculator multiplied each quantity a user entered by its carbon factor index, from a source such as the EPD, and applied the appropriate conversion factor to provide an emission tonnage. At the end of the process, the calculator outputted a report containing a total emission number, expressed in the usual way as units of carbon dioxide equivalent.
He added: “The tool also offers users benefits such as customised workspace portals for hosting, saving and editing their carbon calculations. It additionally provides them with benchmarking data against industry standards, their own past performances, and the results of their key competitors.

“Moreover, the calculator offers users the options to send their completed carbon reports directly for expert, third-party verification – the documents’ format is ideal for this – and to access NZC Market Place, which contains details of manufacturers and suppliers offering low carbon solutions, including products and materials.”
Mr Reeve said NZC Solutions’ carbon calculator met all relevant legal and regulatory standards plus governance procedures and methods. These included the UK Green Building Council’s Net Zero Buildings Framework, the International Organisation for Standardisation’s ISO 14064 and the pilot version of the UK Net Zero Buildings Standard, launched last autumn.
He said: “The calculator also future-proofs users, as it aligns with version seven of the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and updated Part Z Building Regulations, for example. Both these measures indicate how carbon calculation and disclosure expectations of construction sector businesses are now tightening regularly.”
The new calculator, which was nine months in development, can be accessed by subscribers to NZC Solutions’ Plus and Pro products.

NZC Plus is for main contractors, sub-contractors, manufacturers and suppliers wanting an accurate and comprehensive analysis of their organisations’ operational carbon footprints.

Operational emissions are those associated with completed buildings’ day-to-day running, including from the energy needed to power their heating, cooling, lighting and air conditioning systems.

NZC Pro is for main contractors and sub-contractors wanting to calculate emissions from their projects and works packages. It can generate carbon impact reports at both the as built and tender stages of a development.
Mr Reeve said: “The calculator avoids jargon and spares users the time, energy and frustration involved in tasks such as having to seek out individual product emission data and familiarise themselves with standards to which they should conform, as it does all this and more for them.

“The calculator, which was developed for construction professionals by construction professionals, overcomes problems such as the industry’s carbon reporting never having been fully accurate previously and earlier tools for logging and analysing emissions having been based on data from regions such as the EU, rather than the UK.”
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