CO2nstructZero

In November 2020, the government published its 10-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, setting out a path to Net Zero by 2050. CO2nstructZero is the construction sector’s response.

CO2nstructZero builds on the government’s commitments through the lens of our sector setting out how we can together meet the Net Zero challenge. It uses the CCC’s 6th Carbon budget to establish the priorities that will frame our action plan and how we will measure and hold ourselves to account.

Defining the priorities

The priorities align with government’s overarching plan, clear policy direction and commitment to deliver Net Zero, with the expectation it will result in the creation of 250,000 green jobs, attracting at least £36bn in private sector investment.

The work across the built environment offers real opportunity to drive a significant reduction to these emissions through direct action in how we construct, indirectly where we can enable low carbon action such as installing electric car charging points on our developments and in how we conduct our businesses. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) are fully committed to the ambitious and transformational change programme required for the industry to meet the challenges that society and government expects from our sector.

Overall UK emissions were 537 MtCO2 in 2018. There are three areas, collectively representing 43% of UK emissions, which are relevant to the construction sector1. These are: Transport, Buildings and Construction activity.

Based on these areas, the CLC has used the CCC’s 6th Carbon Budget to determine nine priorities to focus efforts both as an industry and as individual businesses to maximise the impact the industry can make.