What are common sustainability terms used in construction?
Navigating the different terminologies and accreditations in an increasingly sustainable world can be difficult, so we’ve provided this helpful guide.
In a nutshell:
- BREAAM is the UK’s leading green building standard, assessing energy, materials, waste, and ecology.
- ISO 14001 & 50001 are frameworks for managing environmental and energy performance.
- PAS 2035, 2060 & 2080 are guidelines for retrofitting, carbon neutrality, and carbon accounting.
- SECR mandates emissions reporting to boost transparency and efficiency.
- EPDs offer verified data on a product’s full life cycle environmental impact.
In the UK, a range of sustainability terms and certifications exist to promote environmental responsibility across the construction industry.
Core Terms
Net Zero
Net Zero describes the state of balance where the greenhouse gases emitted are equal to those removed from the atmosphere.
Carbon Footprint
Carbon Footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by a process, person, or product.
Embodied Carbon
Embodied Carbon describes the emissions from the extraction, manufacturing, transport, and installation of building materials.
Carbon Offsetting
Carbon Offsetting means compensating for carbon emissions by investing in projects that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as reforestation, renewable energy, or carbon capture technologies.
Greenwashing
Greenwashing refers to the misleading practice of portraying a product or company as more environmentally sustainable than it truly is.
Assessment and Compliance Standards
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
BREEAM is the UK’s most widely used green building certification which uses a ‘sustainability assessment framework’ to measure the sustainability performance of buildings, evaluating energy, materials, ecology, waste, and more.
International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)
ISO is an independent, international body that develops and publishes global standards across numerous industries, including construction, manufacturing, technology, and services.
ISO 14001 is an environmental management system standard that helps companies reduce environmental risk and ensure compliance.
ISO 50001 is an energy management standard that is useful for reducing energy usage in factories and offices.
Publicly Available Specification (PAS)
PAS is a standard developed by the British Standards Institution in collaboration with industry experts. It provides guidelines, best practices and specifications for different areas of construction.
PAS 2035 offers a framework for the design, installation and operation of energy storage systems or energy retrofit measures for existing buildings in the UK.
PAS 2060 provides a clear and consistent framework for organisations to demonstrate and verify carbon neutrality claims in a credible, transparent, and measurable way.
PAS 2080 is a carbon accounting standard that provides a framework for organisations to measure, manage and report their carbon footprints.
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)
SECR is a government regulation that plays a key role in reducing the UK’s carbon emissions. It requires businesses to share their energy use and carbon emissions to increase transparency and encourage energy efficiency.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
An EPD is a third-party verified report that provides data about the environmental impact of a product over its entire life cycle.