We have already discussed how the [Construction Industry](/blog/uk-government-and-construction-industry/ "Construction Industry") is seen as an important industry to drive the green economic recovery and carrying on the discussion of the UK government's visions, this article outlines the Prime Minister's ambitious Ten Point Plan for the Green Industrial Revolution, announced in November 2020. This article will be answering the following questions: **What is the UK government's Ten Point Plan? and How will the Ten Point Plan be achieved?** Keep reading and find out more about the UK government's plans and how it can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT IS THE UK GOVERNMENT'S TEN POINT PLAN?

Birmingham, West Midlands UK is the home of the Industrial Revolution and as the UK starts to recover from the coronavirus pandemic with roadmaps in place to build back better, support green jobs, and accelerate our path to net zero, the UK Government sets to invest in green technologies to pave the way forward for a Green Industrial Revolution.

The Prime Minister has created a Ten Point Plan for the Green Industrial Revolution which covers clean energy, transport, nature and innovative technologies. The plan is set to create up to 250,000 green jobs in the UK and support three times as much private sector investment by 2030 with its £12 billion investment.  Below we outline the ten points that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will be focussing on:

1. **Hydrogen**
2. **Nuclear**
3. **Offshore wind**
4. **Cycling, walking and public transport**
5. **Electric vehicles**
6. **Nature**
7. **Carbon capture**
9. **Homes and public buildings**
10. **Innovation and finance**

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson explains that the "Ten Point Plan will create, support and protect hundreds of thousands of green jobs, whilst making strides towards net zero by 2050".

## HOW WILL THE TEN POINT PLAN BE ACHIEVED?

To deliver on the Ten Point Plan, the Government has announced new investments to support the acceleration of the Green Industrial Revolution, including £1 billion energy innovation fund for innovated technologies needed to reach new energy targets, £5.2 billion to create flood and coastal defences in England by 2027, and £5 billion for alternative greener ways of travel including cycling, walking, and buses. Below we outline other key parts of the plan:

1. **Hydrogen**: The UK government aims to generate 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by the year 2030 for powering homes, transport, and aims to achieve by the end of the decade to have a whole town entirely heated by hydrogen
2. **Nuclear**: Turning advanced and small nuclear reactors into clean energy can support 10,00 jobs
3. **Offshore wind**: The UK Government has announced plans to quadruple offshore wind power to 40GW by 2030 to power every home with renewable energy helping to reduce global emissions and support up to 60,000 jobs
4. **Cycling, walking, and public transport**: Efforts are being made to make cycling and walking a more attractive way to travel
5. **Electric vehicles**: With world-leading car manufacturers based in areas such as the West Midlands, North East and North Wales, the UK government plans to transition vehicles to electric and change infrastructure to help support electric vehicles. Boris Johnson announced in late 2020 the ban of sales for diesel and gasoline powered passenger cars in the United Kingdom by the start of 2035
6. **Nature**: The Ten Point Plan aims to protect and restore the natural environment by planting 30,000 hectares of trees every year, whilst creating and retaining thousands of jobs
7. **Carbon capture**: A target of removing 10MT of carbon dioxide by 2030 has been put in place and to do that technology plays an important role to capture and store harmful emissions away from the atmosphere
8. **Jet Zero and greener maritime**: research projects will be undertaken for zero-emission planes and ships will support industries that are difficult-to-decarbonise to become greener
9. **Homes and public buildings**: Homes and public buildings such as hospitals and schools will aim to go greener by implementing energy efficiency with the target of installing 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028. This in turn is also set to produce 50,000 jobs by the year 2030 and reduce the cost of energy bills and carbon emissions.
10. **Innovation and finance**: Using and developing cutting-edge technologies can help make the City of London the global centre of green finance and the UK achieve its energy efficiency ambitions

Find more information about the Ten Point Plan for the Green Industrial Revolution [here](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/936567/10_POINT_PLAN_BOOKLET.pdf "here")</a>.

Learn more about the UK government's Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, what it involves, and how it is going to be achieved.

The UK'S Green Industrial Revolution

In the articles Building for the Future [Part One](blog/building-for-the-future-part-1/ "Part One") and [Part Two](/blog/building-for-the-future-part-2/ "Part Two"), we listed our predictions of the key trends for building back better in a post-pandemic world. One of the predicted key trends forecasts that homes will become greener and have already explained the [Passive House Concept](/blog/passive-house-explained/ "Passive House Concept"), a low energy design concept for buildings. In this article we will be exploring how you can decarbonise homes, as we answer the following questions: **How do we build energy efficiency homes?** and **What are the benefits of making homes energy-efficient?** Keep reading to find out how you can build greener for the future to help you **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW DO WE BUILD ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES?

Did you know that more than one third of homes in the United Kingdom were built before the Second World War? This makes most of the UK housing stock old and inefficient, and to upgrade poorly designed and built buildings usually costs more than if you were to build a new home to a high standard of efficiency.

Shockingly, only 1.4% of new homes built in 2019 achieved the highest [Energy Performance Certificate](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates#epcs-for-all-new-domestic-properties-including-new-build-dwellings-conversions-and-change-of-use "Energy Performance Certificate") (EPC) rating, highlighting that poor quality homes are still being built. As the UK is trying to achieve a greener future and pave its way forward by reducing greenhouse gases to 100% by 2050; building energy-efficient homes plays an important role in helping the UK government to reach its goals.

This year (2021) the UK government have published new standards for new homes, [The Future Buildings Standard](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-buildings-standard "The Future Buildings Standard"), that provides consultations for conservation of fuel and power, ventilation of the Building Regulations for non-domestic buildings and dwellings, and overheating in new residential buildings. The [Committee on Climate Change](https://www.theccc.org.uk/ "Committee on Climate Change") (CCC) has also already laid out plans to help us live carbon free and below we dive into how you take these plans into account and take the necessary measures to start building with energy efficiency in mind:

- **Implementing smart devices**: Installing smart controlled devices into buildings and properties can help people to manage their energy consumption which can also help them to better understand what tariff would best suit their needs. Smart devices can allow people to schedule their heating, turn the boiler on and off, control the temperature in each room, and so on, all through an app on their phone
- **Replacing gas boilers**: To reduce carbon emissions, gas boilers are set to be phased out and replaced with alternative greener energy sources to solve issues around the use of fossil fuels. The government has announced that by 2025, all new builds will be banned from installing gas boilers and will instead be heated by low-carbon alternatives such as heat pumps, hydrogen boilers, direct electric heating, and heat networks. You can read more about the Hydrogen Movement by [clicking here](/blog/achieving-real-zero-part-1/ "clicking here")
- **Installing electric heat pumps**: Electric heat pumps are a great way to produce heat for homes that are built in accordance with the Future Homes Standard because you do not need to dig up and disrupt people's gardens.  Air-to-heat pumps produce heat from the outside air, using a system of fans to generate warmth and air-to-water pumps tend to be outside to absorb heat from the air outside. The air outside gets turned into a liquid which is then used for radiators, underfloor heating, and hot water. With the ban of installing new gas boilers in new built homes, the UK plans to install up to 600,000 heat pumps in homes and in commercial building instead by the year 2028
- **Heat Networks for cities**: Heat Networks also referred to as district heating can be used to supply heat from a centralised source to several other buildings nearby. This heating system could serve well in built-up areas and cities to use renewable energy distribution systems on a larger scale
- **Direct electric heating**: Even though running direct electric heating can be pricey it can be a solution to homes that already have a high energy efficiency standard as it will not be used frequently to keep warm and is a low-carbon heating technology, producing zero emissions when in use
- **Putting insulation retrofits in existing homes**: We explained that building new energy-efficient homes can be a much cheaper option than converting old homes to meet new energy-efficient standards however, we understand that most old homes will still be here and existing in 2050. Applying loft insulation and cavity wall insulation on existing homes can be a cost-effective way to help reduce emissions to support England reaching the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2035, and help the government achieve its Real Zero targets. Insulation can prevent heat loss through walls and can vary in price depending on the type of walls and house you are insulating for instance, a cavity wall insulation for a detached house usually costing around £725, giving an annual saving on energy bills of £255

## WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MAKING HOMES ENERGY EFFICIENT?

When building greener for the future, energy efficiency should be a top priority to decarbonise homes and heating as it will reduce the heat demand. Reducing the demand for energy and adopting low-carbon alternatives to make energy-efficient home improvements has a list of benefits which we discuss below:

- **Reduces carbon emissions**: Implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency designs into buildings could dramatically help the world to be sustainable as it will reduce the amount of CO2 emissions entering the atmosphere. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) predict that there will be a 15% fall by 2030 if the energy efficiency of UK homes were improved
- **Betters energy performance**: By 2035, the government wants to bring all homes in England up to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C. Currently, data shows that new and existing homes across England are at band D (the scale being A-G, and A being the best). The [rollout of smart meters](https://www.smartenergygb.org/en/about-us/about-the-rollout "rollout of smart meters") across the UK is trying to collect accurate data on energy use in homes across England. Therefore, implementing renewables and adopting smart devices into homes can help people to monitor their energy usage and control their environment as every home performs differently
- **Cost-effective**: Building homes to be more energy-efficient can help reduce the demand for energy and therefore with less energy consumed means a reduction in energy bills as well as decreased emissions entering the atmosphere. A study by [Element Energy](https://nic.org.uk/app/uploads//Element-Energy-and-E4techCost-analysis-of-future-heat-infrastructure-Final.pdf ">Element Energy") suggests that by 2050 the electrified energy system including the insulation measures can save nearly £100 billion

We explain the benefits of energy-efficient homes and how you can make energy-efficient home improvements to support building greener.

Building Energy-efficient Homes

We have already explaining [what a Circular Economy is](/blog/what-is-circular-economy/ "what a Circular Economy is") and in this article we will be explaining sustainability by answering the following questions: **What is sustainability?** and **What are the three pillars of sustainability?** Keep reading to find out the motivations surrounding sustainability to help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?

Sustainability has a broad meaning due to the world being a big and diverse place. More often, it is defined as the focus of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Earth has a global population of 7.8 billion people, which is only going to keep on growing, with it being estimated to reach 9.6 billion by 2050. This impacts the entire world including sectors like farming, who have to keep up the demand of producing food for the increasing number of mouths to feed. Already, across the world there is uneven distribution of consumption patterns and wealth plays an important role in sustainability, as over a third of the world still lives in poverty, having little or limited access to resources such as: energy, food, and water. Therefore, sustainability is broad, covering an array of concepts, tying into social justice, conservationism, internationalism, riches, and other past movements.

In 2010, the Academic Advisory Committee for the Office of Sustainability at the University of Alberta referred to sustainability as *"the process of living within the limits of available physical, natural and social resources in ways that allow the living systems in which humans are embedded to thrive in perpetuity"*.

## WHAT ARE THE THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY?

The concept of sustainability is made up of three main pillars: environmental, economic, and social (which can also be known as planet, profits, and people). Exploring the three pillars of sustainability showcases the different motivations and perceptions other people may have on the topic of sustainability because everyone has their own worldview where emotion, survival, instinct or logic can be key drivers. In the list below we will explore the three different pillars of sustainability, so you can gain a more detailed understanding on sustainability:

### 1. ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Environmental sustainability is to ensure that we are consuming our natural resources like land, water and energy fuels at a sustainable rate and in line with the [Circular Economy Principals](/blog/what-is-circular-economy/ "Circular Economy principles"), to not damage the environment and use up all of its natural resources. This inspires using low-carbon resources, with many countries joining in on the [Race to Zero](/blog/race-to-zero/ ">Race to Zero") with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions entering the atmosphere.

The environment sustainability pillar is most likely the one you're most familiar with as the UK government makes it clear their ambitions to achieve [Real Zero](/blog/what-is-real-zero/ "Real Zero") by 2050 and businesses are focussing on reducing their carbon footprint. Packaging waste, energy usage, water usage are main topics you have probably come across with businesses. For instance, businesses are looking into the Circular Economy approach of reducing the number of materials they use by pushing back on product packaging and implementing recyclable and reusable packaging; *reduce, reuse, recycle*.

A challenge for the environment sustainability pillar is that the amount of carbon dioxide, water, waste, land reclamation as a few examples, are hard to calculate or are not being tracked. Therefore, to measure progress businesses will need to start tracking and reporting on the emissions and waste they produce and setting benchmarks to determine progress.

### 2. ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

Economic sustainability is all about businesses using resources efficiently and responsibly as well as, operating in a sustainable manner whilst also being profitable. Activities such as compliance, governance and risk management also fall under this pillar. Businesses need to be transparent, accurate, and give stockholders the opportunity to vote on important issues, as well as making sure that everything aligns with shareholders' interests, the end-user, value chains, and the community.

The economic pillar helps businesses implement sustainable strategies, although some businesses can be forced to adopt sustainable approaches such as not using chemical fertilisers or using alternative energy sources rather than fossil fuels. It also focuses on activities being available to everyone, such as secure sources of livelihood. Overall, it allows human communities to maintain their own independence and have access to the resources that they require to meet needs such as finance.

### 3. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

The social sustainability pillar is about universal human rights and making sure that the basic necessities are available to everyone, this includes having access to resources in order to keep families and communities healthy and secure. Leaders need to ensure social wellbeing is being met for example, making sure personal, labour, and cultural rights are respected and all people are protected from discrimination. Having social sustainability ensures a country, an organisation, or a community can be maintained in the long-term.

Businesses can focus on social sustainability by participating in things such as community engagement like fundraising and scholarships, giving better benefits to their employees such as maternity benefits or development opportunities. They can also evaluate their supply chain to make sure that everyone is being paid fairly and no exploitation is happening.

Discover the concept of sustainability as we explore the three main pillars (environmental, economic, and social) and the definition of sustainability.

Three Pillars Of Sustainability

Leading on from the UK government's [Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution](/blog/uk-government-ten-point-plan/ "Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution") where the government makes energy efficiency a top priority in order to reach its [Race to Zero](/blog/race-to-zero/ "Race to Zero") targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), in this article we will be exploring what causes emissions in the Industry and how to become more energy-efficient by answering the following questions: **What are the four industry emitters?** and **How can the Heavy Industry become more energy-efficient to achieve Real Zero?** Keep reading to learn about how you could implement Real Zero to help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT ARE THE FOUR INDUSTRY EMITTERS?

The UK government has introduced a number of policies in order for all industries and sectors across the UK to make energy efficiency a priority in order to reduce carbon emissions entering the atmosphere. By 2050 the UK government aims to [reduce the UK’s greenhouse gasses by 100% by 2050] and with the Industry estimated to account for one-quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, here we discuss the main four industrial emitters (cement, steel, aluminium, and chemicals):

### 1. CEMENT
In the [Reducing UK emissions 2018 Progress Report to Parliament](https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/CCC-2018-Progress-Report-to-Parliament.pdf "Reducing UK emissions 2018 Progress Report to Parliament") by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) states that cement contributes to around 10% of direct UK industrial emissions, with more than half of those emissions coming from the process of producing clinker. Clinker is the main ingredient in cement and is made by heating a mixture of raw materials in a rotary kiln at high temperature.

### 2. STEEL
Steel is produced by iron ore mixed with coal and with the high demand it accounts for 17% of UK industrial emissions. For the future of steel production, recycling could be a potential opportunity in hopes to produce zero carbon emissions and reduce the supply and demand.

### 3. ALUMINIUM
Emissions are caused by the electrodes used in smelting. Smelting is a process of applying heat to ore to extract a base metal such as silver, copper, and iron, and so carbon emissions enter the atmosphere as it gives off CO2 as they wear down.

### 4. CHEMICALS
The CCC's Reducing UK emissions 2018 Progress Report to Parliament expresses how the chemical industry contributes to about 12% of UK industry's direct emissions. Processes such as steam cracking to create light olefins use a lot of energy and therefore, it is believed that improving energy efficiency across all relevant sectors and adapting to technology will play an important role in reducing energy consumption in the chemical industry.

## HOW CAN THE HEAVY INDUSTRY HELP THE UK TO ACHIEVE REAL ZERO?

With 60% of direct industrial emissions coming from manufacturing and cement, steel, aluminium, and chemicals producing high emissions, a way industry can reduce emissions is by shifting from using fossil fuels to clean energy. Here we go through several ways the Industry can achieve [Real Zero](/blog/what-is-real-zero/ "Real Zero"):

- **Carbon capture and storage (CCS)**: This technology can dramatically help the Industry to reduce emissions as CO2 is captured preventing it from entering the atmosphere, where it is then stored underground. In 2019, the UK government announced a £800m funding for CCS projects in the 2019 budget to help businesses implement the technology
- **Reducing clinker**: As we mentioned, half of emissions in creating cement comes from the process of producing clinker and therefore, replacing raw materials with ingredients such as graphene and substituting the fossil fuels like coal, can subsequently make the process of creating clicker a lot cleaner and reduce emissions. As well as, potentially cutting costs due to the new ingredients being less expensive. For buildings using alternative building materials and [on-site construction](/blog/prefabrication-and-modular-design/ "on-site construction") could lower emissions by [more than 50%](https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2018-06-13-making-concrete-change-cement-lehne-preston.pdf "more than 50%") without compromising the quality of structures
- **Recycling steel**: Due to steel being made by iron ore mixed with coal, recycling steel could help reduce carbon emissions and reduce the supply and demand. Steel can be made by using electric arc furnaces which can be powered from renewables, and with the ability to separate steel from other metals this means steel can me upcycled. [Three companies](https://www.hybritdevelopment.com/ "Three companies") have also joined forces to also develop a steelmaking process that emits water rather than carbon dioxide, aiming to replace coal with hydrogen
- **Replacing carbon with hydrogen**: Aluminium is used to make a variety of different things such as cars, construction materials, industrial machinery, drinks cans, and so on. Emissions are caused by the electrodes used in process smelting, the companies Rio Tinto and Alcoa have developed a replacement material that instead of releases CO2, it releases oxygen, helping to substantially cut down on greenhouse gas emissions in aluminium production. This is set to become commercially available around the year 2024
- **Separating chemicals**: Not all chemicals can have a universal solution however, for some end-products, companies can use bioprocessing, separating chemicals with membranes instead of using heating and distillation to lower emissions and save money
- **Low-carbon electrification and heating**: Using low-carbon processors such as heat pumps can continue decarbonising the electricity from the grid. To find out more about renewable energy sources and the Ten Point Plan the UK government is implementing to drive a sustainable and more energy-efficient future with the use of low-carbon approaches, then click [click here](/blog/uk-government-ten-point-plan/ "here") to find out more

Today we explore the four main industry emitters and how the heavy industry can become more energy-efficient to achieve Real Zero.

Real Zero and the Industry

If you always keep up to date with the latest news and trends across your sector, you might have come across the term **Circular Economy**. In this article, we are going to talk about Circular Economy and answer the following questions: **what is Linear Economy?** **what is Circular Economy?** **What are the advantages of Circular Economy?** And **what services we provide for the Circular Economy?** Keep reading and find out how Circular Economy can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS!**
 
## WHAT IS LINEAR ECONOMY?

Our economy has been *linear* for years providing a traditional model based on a *make-use-dispose* approach to using resources. This means that raw materials are collected and turned into products then after the products have been used, they are thrown away as waste.

To ensure the world can sustain itself due to the vastly growing population, the model needs to be replaced to make sure that in the future we have enough raw materials for basic needs such as shelter, food, heating and other necessities. For this to happen the economy must become circular. This means avoiding any waste and being more sustainable with raw materials so less damage is caused to the environment.

## WHAT IS CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

In a Circular Economy, products are designed to be reusable. Compared to the Linear Economy where the approach followed a *make-use-dispose* method, a Circular Economy follows the 3R approach: *reduce*, *reuse*, and *recycle*. This means that the resources used are reduced, the reuse of products are increased and the raw materials, instead of being disposed of as waste, can be recycled to be reused again. Value is then created by concentrating on value preservation rather than created by producing and selling as many products as possible. Therefore, the objective of Circular Economy is to prevent waste. It is a more profitable method and less harmful to the natural and human environment helping to improve sustainable economic growth, increased competitiveness, and new jobs.

## WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Circular Economy offers many advantages that can translate into opportunities. Here is a list of advantages that Circular Economy can have on your business: 

  - **Rise in demand for services**: Circular Economy can provide a demand for new services and can create new job opportunities. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation employment opportunities will be created not just within large corporate companies and remanufacturing but also across many sectors across the advancement of local reverse logistics, in small and medium businesses, and through enhanced innovation and entrepreneurship, and a new service-based economy
  - **Increased profitability**: as Circular Economy provides a demand for services, your business can grow its services and potentially add new offerings such as: repairs, remanufacturing, sharing, and reselling. Expanding your services can help to create new streams of revenue increasing your profits
  - **Reduce costs**: Circular Economy can help companies save money and reduce costs. It could allow companies to save on landfill costs that will in turn help the soil restoration and specialty chemicals by keeping natural waste out of landfills. It would also help to reduce running costs and manufacturing, benefiting manufactures as it allows them access to local raw materials needed to produce their products
  - **Stronger customer relationships**: the Circular Economy enables new business models and opportunities to maintain customers due to the further communication between supplier and customer during the transition from product delivery to services. The communication and service you provide e.g. delivery, repair, maintenance as a few examples can result to customer satisfaction which can increase customer loyalty, helping you build stronger relationships with you customers
  - **Increased stability on raw material supplies**: a Circular Economy aims to recycle raw materials reducing the uses of new raw materials with the value of materials increasing in their life cycle. This means you will be able to sustain lower material costs than labour costs resulting in the availability and costs of the materials having less of an impact on the stability of the business model. This allows companies stability and confidence in long-term investments

We explain what is Circular Economy, the difference between Circular Economy and Linear Economy, what advantages it can provide, and solutions we can offer.

What is Circular Economy?

In a previous article, we have explained [what a Circular Economy is](/blog/what-is-circular-economy "what a Circular Economy is"). Today we are going to take a very brief overview of **Technology for Circular Economy**. We are going to answer the following question: **how can Technology benefit the Circular Economy?** Keep reading and find out how Technology and Circular Economy can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY BENEFIT THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

As we explained in an earlier article, the Circular Economy supports a system to reduce waste and promote reusing and recycling. Technology is a fast-developing industry and innovative technologies can help other industries and sectors transition into a Circular Economy more quickly and more efficiently. Below we talk about how Technology can benefit the Circular Economy: 

  - **Provides infrastructures and platforms**:: the Technology sector already provides Circular Economy approaches for instance, retail and services such as eBay and Gumtree already promote the reuse of products. This provides companies infrastructures and platforms to collaborate with and learn from
  - **More insightful data**:: the Circular Economy model is beneficial for business-to-business customers (B2B) and consumers because they have the capability to purchase more sustainable products and understand the process and suitable materials. Technology can support this for example with traceable applications and understanding of product experience for companies to gain insights on needs and values to develop product designs
  - **Monitoring of products and production**:: Companies may face challenges with collecting data due to their data being stored in silos which can make it difficult to create a thorough map of: what they make, where they sell and if the materials get recycled after consumption. Technology will be able help the monitoring of upstream suppliers and the product when it leaves the factory. Real-time tracking technologies will be able to pinpoint where the product ends up and how it will be recycled or reused. It will able be able to monitor, calculate, and adjust for material bans and tax liabilities
  - **Product renting and cloud based service delivery**:: companies can adopt a product renting service allowing the provider ownership of the product and the customer being able to enjoy it’s usage period, and when that period is over the product can be recycled instead of disposed of. As well as, if content on devices is stored and accessed through cloud based services, the access and log-in will be more valuable than what type of device is being used which is expected to encourage longevity on a device as it could break the upgrade cycle
  - **Improving sourcing and the marketplace**:: Technology will be able to improve challenges companies may face when replacing materials with recyclable options like sourcing and multi-supply strategies. Technology can help by collecting information on local marketplaces and waste collectors whilst ensuring there is no exploitation

We explain how Technology can benefit the Circular Economy to help your business to efficiently adopt the reuse and recycle system.

Technology and Circular Economy

In previous articles, we have already covered [What is Circular Economy](/blog/what-is circular-economy/ "What is Circular Economy") and [Technology and Circular Economy](/blog/technology-and-circular-economy/ "Technology and Circular Economy"). In this blog post we are going to be talking about **Circular Economy and Renewable Energy** and answering the following question: **how can Renewable Energy benefit the Circular Economy?** Keep reading to find out how Renewable Energy and Circular Economy can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!
 
## HOW CAN RENEWABLE ENERGY BENEFIT THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Renewable Energy helps pave the way for a Circular Economy in terms of energy sources. The use of renewables like solar and wind energy are alternatives to fossil fuels and with the Circular Economy focussing on the reuse of raw materials together they allow for a sustainable future. Below we discuss the benefits Circular Economy can gain from Renewable Energy:

  - **Cost-effective fossil fuel alternatives**: due to the expense of fossil fuel, renewable sources are estimated to supply more than 60% of global electricity in 2050 because the costs of generating electricity from wind, solar and battery technologies are cheaper. The cost-effectiveness of renewable sources will enable a greener future and benefit the Circular Economy
  - **Substituting materials**: using renewable, secondary materials, and low carbon as alternatives can work the same but provide lower emissions. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources for examples: decarbonised electricity, biomass, and hydrogen can help to eliminate fossil fuel usage. Emissions that cannot be reduced through renewable energy technology and material productivity developments will go through procedures such as carbon capture and permanent storage where the remaining CO2 will be captured. Therefore, substituting materials will help the aim of achieving a Circular Economy by reducing global emissions
  - **Reduced emissions**: with 75% of global emissions from the transport sector the increase of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles are set to reduce emissions and help increase the life cycle of a vehicle to five to ten years
  - **Shared, electrified and autonomous travel**: powered renewable energy vehicles can provide less traffic reducing accidents, lower maintenance, less congestion, reduced travel time due to being designed for durability, reuse, stability, and in some vehicles with artificial intelligence processes. Improving the wellbeing and quality of life of people and helping to reduce air pollution
  - **Recirculating materials**: Reusing materials can help reduce waste and emissions for example, renewable energy powered vehicles can help decrease the removal of natural materials by 95% due to the extended vehicle lifetime and the reusing of materials and components helping to reduce landfill waste
  - **Emerging technologies**: new technologies are being developed to help decarbonisation by creating carbon-neutral energy systems that can convert leftover energy from renewables and store them for an extended period
  - **Home heating and off-grid cooking**: with the UK government having a target of reducing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 companies like [Pumped Heat](http://www.pumpedheat.co.uk "Pumped Heat") are developing a heat storage unit by using renewable electrical energy. They can generate heat from electricity and offer home heating and off-grid solar cooking
  - **Wind turbines**: wind turbines have a recyclability rate of 85% to 90%. Improving the design of wind turbines can help extend the life of a turbine and its parts for more than 20 years and replace the non-recyclable materials to recycle materials for example non-toxic plastics or bio-based materials. An eco-design will improve carbon footprint, renewable energy usage and waste reductions as a few examples and help them to become 100% recyclable as we enter a circular economy
  - **Renewable powered**: many of the processes vital to a circular economy like remanufacturing and refurbishing can be powered by renewable electricity which in turn can also improve efficiency
  - **Decarbonisation**: the increase of wind and solar panels along with infrastructure of power generation and power grips will also help decarbonisation and enable consumers, businesses, and residents to access renewable energy and benefit from climate efforts

Find out how Renewable Energy can benefit the Circular Economy and help your business pave its way towards a greener future and Net Zero Carbon.

Circular Economy and Renewable Energy

In previous articles, we have already covered several topics such as [What is Circular Economy](/blog/what-is circular-economy/ "What is Circular Economy"),[Technology and Circular Economy](/blog/technology-and-circular-economy/ "Technology and Circular Economy"), and [Circular Economy and Renewable Energy](/blog/circular-economy-and-renewable-energy "Circular Economy and Renewable Energy"). In this blog post we are going to be discussing Circular Economy and Construction by answering the following question: **how can Circular Economy benefit the Construction Industry?** Keep reading to find out how Circular Economy and Construction can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!
 
## HOW CAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFIT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

Circular Economy supports a system to reduce waste generation and promote reusing and recycling, implementing this system into the Construction Industry can help reduce harmful emissions and help make the world sustainable for the future. Our list of Circular Economy benefits will introduce what it can bring to the Construction Industry:

  - **Designing with less materials**: design is important when it comes to reducing waste for example around 35–45% more steel is used than necessary meaning construction projects use more material than needed. Designing buildings with less material can be done through less over-specification, improved design, and using high-strength materials
  - **Improved construction processes**: applying construction processes such as offsite construction, manufactured building elements, and 3D printing have the potential for reducing material demand, waste and helping with the saving of material costs
  - **Improving design**: due to poor design or a lack of information on a building’s material composition, only a low percentage of around 20-30% of construction and demolition waste gets recycled or reused. Therefore, it is important to design materials for the purpose of reuse to reduce the need for primary materials. The Neverlands is a prime example, improving of the reuse of materials of 70,000 new apartments in Amsterdam before 2040 which will save around 500,000 tonnes of material
  - **Recycling materials and buildings**: design plays an important role as recycling materials will involve designing materials for dissembling and high-value recycling in order for them to be utilised again as inputs for new production, once they have reached their end-of-life. This can also be applied to buildings that have reached their end-of-life. Recycling materials reduces the need for virgin materials and lower CO2 emissions, hence that the design of recyclable materials and the improvement of secondary materials will play a crucial part in a sustainable future
  - **Develop recycling systems**: using a Circular Economy strategy of using recycled materials will push for development in materials such as cement and plastics that need improvements. Systems for example for plastics where products can be collected, sorted, and recycled at high value will help in achieving an increase in using secondary materials and lower emissions
  - **Reducing waste**: waste can be reduced when it comes to supply chains by decreasing the amount of material lost during production. For example, aluminium produced every year does not make the final product and instead becomes waste and 15% of building materials are wasted in construction. Implementing technology and new measures such as process optimisation, 3D printing could help towards reducing waste generation during production and lower emissions
  - **Substituting materials**: using low carbon, renewable, or secondary materials as alternative inputs to new production will support lower emissions. Timber technologies are an example of renewable material where it could save 62% of mineral construction materials used in buildings whilst also giving the potential of carbon sequestration
  - **Renewable energy and buildings**: material consumption is estimated to increase from 40 billion tonnes in 2010 to about 90 billion tonnes by 2050 and with CO2 emissions from construction also being responsible, renewable energy and energy efficiency, designs, constructions, and the use of buildings will matter in order to help the world be sustainable and reduce the amount of CO2 emissions

This article discusses the benefits the Circular Economy can have on the Construction Industry and the environment to help towards a sustainable future.

Circular Economy and Construction

Following on from our previous blog posts that discussed [What is Circular Economy](/blog/what-is circular-economy/ "What is Circular Economy"),[Technology and Circular Economy](/blog/technology-and-circular-economy/ "Technology and Circular Economy"), and [Circular Economy and Renewable Energy](/blog/circular-economy-and-renewable-energy "Circular Economy and Renewable Energy"), in this new blog we are going to be covering Circular Economy and Property Development. We are going to answer the following question: **how can Circular Economy benefit the Property Development Industry?** Keep reading to find out how Circular Economy and Property Development can offer to help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFIT THE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY?

The [UK government](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law "UK government") is required to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gasses by 100% by 2050. Implementing a Circular Economy into industries including Property Development can help achieve the goal of reducing harmful emissions. Below we discuss the benefits of a Circular Economy for the Property Development Industry as we aim for Net Zero by 2050:

  - **Sharing buildings and business models**: 49% of homes in the UK are not occupied and have at least two bedrooms spare according to the [Ellen Macarthur Foundation](https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ "Ellen Macarthur Foundation"). The Circular Economy promotes service-based business models like sharing to help improve the use of under-occupied buildings and spaces. In London shared housing, office sharing, repurposed buildings and multi-purposed buildings can increase the use of the city’s buildings by 20% by 2036 and increase the value of new buildings
  - **Extending building lifetime**: a lifespan of a building is of around 50–100 years however after around 20–30 years it is no longer economically valuable which results in the building being demolished. Circular Economy aims to extend a building’s lifespan and for it to remain economically valuable by modular and durable designs. A modular design reuses around 80% of the components in a building’s exterior helping the building to last up to 100 years or more. The designs would allow for buildings being able to adapt to changing needs, and easy renovations and building maintenance
  - **Renewable energy**: along with buildings having an extended lifespan, large amounts of energy sources such as heat, electricity and heating will be consumed. There are an increasing number of ways of producing renewable energy such as heat batteries, solar panels, microgrids, photovoltaic panels, small scale wind turbines, biomass digesters, and small hydro power generators. This gives real estate investors options of producing their own green electricity or investing in renewable electricity production
  - **Reducing CO2 emissions**: introducing a Circular Economy can contribute to lower CO2 emissions from building materials because the need for aluminium, steel, plastics, and cement would be reduced. Integrating a modular design where buildings and multi-purpose buildings can be constructed with reused and non-toxic materials will significantly reduce emissions. The buildings would also be highly utilised by the combined shared spaces like office spaces and homes
  - **Reducing material needs**: with construction projects regularly using more material than is needed, designing buildings with improved design, less over-specification, and using higher-strength materials can help reduce the amount of materials used and result into a decrease in waste generation
  - **Reusing building materials**: with only around 20-30% of construction and demolition waste being recycled or reused, designing materials for reuse can ensure that they can be restored again at their highest value and therefore constructing buildings with reusable materials can reduce the need for primary materials
  - **Opportunities for urban planning**: having a Circular Economy approach to urban developments can improve the design of the city and its infrastructure allowing the collection, reuse, and recycling of things like water, building elements and industrial by-products for a few examples. Designing mixed-use and dense developments will help to decrease urban sprawl and reduce emissions
  - **Reduce pollution levels**: applying Circular Economy measures to urban planning can help reduce pollution levels and improve city living, and save money through the making efficient use of already existing buildings and preventing new construction helping the decrease of carbon emissions
  - **Reducing waste in construction**: construction processes such as 3D printing, offsite construction, and manufactured building elements can help reduce waste generation. An example, modular construction can be done offsite allowing manufacturers to attain high quality standards, high productivity, less costs, lower emissions while reducing the amount of waste generated compared to on-site construction

We explain the benefits a Circular Economy can provide the Property Development Industry and how together they can contribute to the Net Zero mission.

Circular Economy and Property

In previous articles, we have already talked about [What is Circular Economy](/blog/what-is circular-economy/ "What is Circular Economy"),[Technology and Circular Economy](/blog/technology-and-circular-economy/ "Technology and Circular Economy"), [Circular Economy and Renewable Energy](/blog/circular-economy-and-renewable-energy "Circular Economy and Renewable Energy"), and [Circular Economy and Property Development](/blog/circular-economy-and-property-development "Circular Economy and Property Development"). In this blog post we are going to be discussing Circular Economy and Facilities Management by answering the following question: **how can Circular Economy benefit the Facilities Management Industry?** Keep reading to find out how Circular Economy and Facilities Management can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!
 
## HOW CAN CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFIT THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY?

Facility managers are significant key players when it comes to influence as they coordinate people, space, infrastructure, and administration. As we explained in previous articles, the Circular Economy aims to generate a greener and sustainable future by changing the way we build and manage our environment along with changing the way we design. For the Facilities Management Industry, Circular Economy offers the following benefits:

  - **Increases collaboration and profitability**: as UK businesses spend £2bn a year on moving people within buildings, the implementation of a Circular Economy will enable the Facilities Management Industry to work with architects in the design stage to improve infrastructure and making sure the building can be adapted and upgraded. The collaboration can reduce costs and increase profitability
  - **Technology innovation**: digital technology can play apart in helping the Circular Economy for example: building information modelling (BIM) can be used for designing, planning, constructing, and managing property and it can help detect things such as performance and maintenance requirements when integrated with sensor technology. Another example includes Blockchain that enables facilities managers to record and measure waste streams in properties
  - **Monitoring for continuous improvements**: introducing smart metres and smart buildings can give easy access to data enabling you to analyse performance and monitor energy consumption. As well, Building Information Modelling (BIM) can monitor building health throughout its lifecycle allowing you to make responsive decisions and continuous improvements 
  - **Reducing energy demand**: implementing the use of solar energy through building orientation and increasing the size of windows and heat recovery ventilation systems can help decrease the need for heating and lighting resulting in less energy demand
  - **Reducing maintenance costs**: a defect can increase the cost of repair between 5 and 15 times more when avoided. Therefore, improving forecasting, planning, speed, and quality of maintenance along with collaborating with stakeholders can help reduce costs 
  - **Preserving current assets**: Circular Economy is all about reducing waste, reusing, and recycling. Maintaining, fixing and repairing current assets before getting rid of them will help to reduce waste and extend the lifetime. Organisations can purchase and design assets with longevity and future use in mind in order to reduce waste generation 
  - **Reducing emissions**: on-site manufacturing can incorporate the use of 3D printing as an example to remove any transport costs resulting in reduced harmful emissions 
  - **Energy reduction programmes**: offering energy reduction programmes such as offering decentralised control over heating and lighting can increase productivity as people will be able to manage their own environments. Other examples include: implementing sensors and user interfaces to collect data to monitor energy consumption and providing people with incentives to promote the use of green and public transport

This article talks about the benefits a Circular Economy can have on the Facilities Management Industry and how it can make a difference to your organisation.

Circular Economy and FM

Following on from previous articles where we covered [Technology for Modular Design](/blog/technology-for-prefabrication-and-modular-design/ "Technology for Modular Design"), [Prefabrication and Modular Design](/blog/prefabrication-and-modular-design/ "Prefabrication and Modular Design"), [Technology and Circular Economy](/blog/technology-and-circular-economy/ "Technology and Circular Economy"), and explained what [5G](/blog/what-is-5g/ "5G") and [Internet of Things](/blog/internet-of-things/ "IoT") (IoT) are. Today we are going to take a very brief overview outlining how, Technology, Circular Economy, and Prefabrication/ Modular Design can all work together by answering the following questions: **what is the circular design process?** and **How can Technology, Circular Economy, and Prefabrication/ Modular Design all work together?** Keep reading to find out how all are connected and working together to help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT IS THE CIRCULAR DESIGN PROCESS?

What Technology, Circular Economy, and Prefabrication/ Modular Design all have is common is their design to design out waste. A Circular Economy carries the principle of designing out waste and pollution supporting a system of *reduce, reuse, and recycle*. This means avoiding any waste and being more sustainable with raw materials, so less damage is caused to the environment. As we enter a Circular Economy from a Linear Economy where designs were once focused on the traditional model of a *make-use-dispose* approach to using resources, now means that things are being redesigned in accordance with the Circular Economy principles.

Therefore, design is a big factor and needs to be considered in all industries and sectors with important decision-making on how it is manufactured, how it is used, and what happens when it is no longer necessary or needed.

The [Ellen MacArthur Foundation](https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/explore/circular-design "Ellen MacArthur Foundation") identifies four stages to the circular design process:

- **Understand**: getting to understand and know the user and the system
- **Define**: defining the design challenge and your intention as the designer
- **Make**: designing, ideating, and creating prototypes of as many iterations and versions as you can and constantly testing and refining 
- **Release**: launching your design into the world and building your narrative. Building customer loyalty and increasing investment from stakeholders 
 
## HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY, CIRCULAR ECONOMY, PREFABRICATION, AND MODULAR DESIGN ALL WORK TOGETHER?
 
The objective of a Circular Economy is to prevent waste and pollution which supports the [UK government's](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law "UK government’s") sustainable development goal of reducing the UK’s greenhouse gasses by 100% by 2050. The Technology Industry is vastly growing, and its innovative technologies can help other industries significantly to achieve the goal of net zero. Prefabrication and Modular Design enables designs to be customised, repaired, upgraded, and reused where they are manufactured in a factory to be transported to the location of construction. Below we discuss how Technology, Circular Economy, and Prefabrication/ Modular Design can all work together to accomplish a more sustainable future:
 
- **Increasing lifecycle**: Prefabrication/Modular Design and Technology support the Circular Economy as they can significantly change the lifecycle of energy infrastructure. The designs enable buildings ease of having renovations, building maintenance, and adapting to changing needs. Technology is creating a new wave of innovation such as IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence) and AR (Augmented Reality) that is helping change the world. For example, you will be able to rely on predictive maintenance to monitor equipment performance and building maintenance to predict any malfunctions or breakdowns that may occur and alert you in order for you to take action. This can help you repair building and equipment before any issues occur allowing you to potentially increase lifespan 
- **Designing out waste**: in construction the flexibility in design of structure and with prefabricated construction units allows designs to be used in different spaces helping to reduce waste in landfills compared to traditional construction. Combining technology to modular designs allows for offsite construction, sub-assemblies being created off-site manufactured building elements, and 3D printing under factory controlled conditions allowing them to stay of high quality and require less materials hence reducing waste and allowing any leftover materials to be recycled in-house rather than ending up in landfill. BIM (Building Information Modeling) can also provide accurate calculations and measurements of areas, volume and distances and much more, helping in the planning and design stage and reducing waste ending up in landfills as it can help determine how much material and resources are required 
- **Improving sourcing and the marketplace**: as a Circular Economy pushes for a reduce, reuse, and recycle system and a Modular Design allows designs to be upgraded, repaired and for reuse, technology will be able to improve challenges companies may face when replacing materials with recyclable options. Technology can help by collecting information on local marketplaces and waste collectors to provide industries with insightful data and source information with ease helping to improve sourcing and the marketplace and supporting a recycling system 
- **Eco-friendly and sustainable**: Technology, Circular Economy, and Prefabrication/ Modular Design together contribute to a sustainable future. Modular construction enables buildings to be reused and recycled, reducing harmful emissions, and preserving natural raw materials which in turn helps reduce waste and supports the Circular Economy as building materials are designed for reuse. The buildings can implement technology such as smart devices to help reduce energy consumption such as water, electric, heating, air, and lighting. IoT-enabled sensors and monitoring enables you to track, regulate, control your environment to your preferences helping to reduce energy consumption. Together each one plays a key role in decarbonisation to help reduce greenhouse emissions to help achieve net zero 
- **Improving engineered buildings**:  the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Prefrabicition/ Modular Design enables you to assess energy performances and discover cost-effective measures. It can also, when utilised with 3D design ensure that the building is appropriate for the intended location and design requirements. Implementing technology and construction processes such as 3D printing in modular buildings will help produce accurate sub-assemblies, be consistent in quality which in turn generates less waste and lowers carbon footprint
- **Helping quicker construction time**: new technologies combined with modular construction can allow for projects to be completed around 30% more quickly than traditional builds. Robotics, 3D Imaging, and drones can support modular design and offsite construction by providing more cost-effective, sustainable, faster, and accurate measurements and sizes. 5G’s speed can also provide real-time information providing quick responses to changes and updates and ensure coordination with the project. Applying technology to design also supports the Circular Economy as it reduces waste, emissions and material demand helping to save on material costs along the way

This article outlines how Technology, Circular Economy, and Prefabrication/ Modular Design can work together to accomplish a more sustainable future.

Designing Out Waste

In today’s article, we are going to be talking about the UK government, the Construction Industry, and the Circular Economy by answering the following questions: **what is the UK’s Government vision for construction 2025? How is the UK government supporting the Construction Industry and a Circular Economy?** And **what solutions do we offer?** Keep reading and find out how UK government for Construction can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT IS THE UK’S GOVERNMENT VISION FOR CONSTRUCTION 2025?

In June 2019, the UK Government announced its target to reduce UK greenhouse emissions by 100% by 2050 to end global warming. The [Climate Change Act 2008](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/27/section/24 "Climate Change Act 2008") highlights six major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulphur hexafluoride that are targets to reduce. In its efforts to achieve net zero emissions the Construction Industry is seen as an important and crucial industry that can help in the economic recovery.  

According to the [UK government](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210099/bis-13-955-construction-2025-industrial-strategy.pdf "UK government"), the global construction market is predicted to grow by over 70% by 2025. Therefore, the Construction Industry and Government have developed a clear and defined set of aspirations for UK construction that consist of: 

- **Talented and diverse people**: the industry to be known for the talent and diversity of the workforce
- **Driving growth**: the industry to drive and sustain growth across the whole of the economy
- **Clear leadership**: a clear leadership from a Construction Leadership Council
- **Smart**: a more efficient and technologically advanced industry 
- **Sustainable**: help sustainability by leading the world into low-carbon and green construction exports

With UK construction having a clear focus on sustainability for the future to reduce carbon emissions, improve resource efficiency, improve quality of life, and become a modern and globally competitive economy, here are three key priorities that have been emphasised:

- Smart construction and digital design
- Low carbon and sustainable construction
- Improved trade performance

## HOW IS THE UK GOVERNMENT SUPPORTING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND A CIRCULAR ECONOMY? 

During a keynote at [UK Construction Week Virtual 2020](https://www.ukconstructionweek.com/ukcw-virtual "UK Construction Week Virtual 2020"), Construction Minister Nadhim Zahawi addressed the net zero target, encouraging offsite construction with the expressed importance of building back better, building back faster, and building back greener. With the government’s clear visions and set key priorities, below we outline some of the ways the UK Government is supporting the Construction industry and a Circular Economy in order to achieve the set out targets:

- **Providing Green Homes Grants**:  the UK government is providing homeowners (including landlords, tradespeople, and businesses) with [Green Homes Grants](https://greenhomesgrant.campaign.gov.uk/ "Green Homes Grants") to cover up to £5,000 or £10,000 depending on household incomes for energy efficiency and low carbon heat improvements to homes. The Green Homes Grant scheme encourages installing energy efficient home improvements to help reduce emissions and decrease energy bills for homes
- **Implementing smart technology**: innovative technologies can provide asset owners with a variety of information on the performance of their assets, this includes during construction and throughout their lifecycle. Implementing 5G and IoT-enabled sensors can allow the monitoring of infrastructure, provide real-time energy consumption data to help to increase energy efficiency, predictive maintenance, the performing of remote or autonomous construction operations, and the monitoring of the environment and machinery. The advancement of smart technology enhances building performance making it time saving, convenient, and energy saving, resulting in the reduction of carbon emissions, the need of less material, and the requirement of less labour for construction, whilst still ensuring high quality builds, performance and resilience of the assets
- **Promoting offsite construction**: modular design and prefabrication construction takes half the time to build in comparison to traditional builds due to improved planning, no on-site weather factors, faster fabrication, and subcontractor scheduling delays.  For newbuilds and refurbished assets, the UK government reduces time from inception to completion by 50% and encourages offsite construction to allow for faster construction time
- **Encouraging smart construction and digital design**: level 2 Building Information Modeling (BIM) was made mandatory in the UK for use on all public sector works in 2016. BIM helps to deliver more sustainable buildings, more quickly and efficiently, whilst also offering Virtual 3D tours to key stakeholders to educate. BIM helps within the offsite manufacturing strategy contributing to the vision of building the UK’s competitive advantage in smart construction and digital design 
- **Providing cost-effective fossil fuel alternatives**: renewable sources are estimated to supply more than 60% of global electricity in 2050 this is because generating electricity from wind, solar and battery technologies is much more inexpensive compared to the costs of fossil fuel. The UK Government has announced plans to quadruple offshore wind power by 2030 which will help power an extra 14 million homes with renewable energy helping to reduce global emissions 
- **Improving exports**: the UK government is set to improve exports by reducing the trade gap between total exports and total imports for construction products and materials by 50% helping the construction market to grow at an annual rate of 4.3% until 2025 providing opportunities for global trade

We detail the UK government’s aspirations, visions and key priorities for Construction 2025, how it is supporting the sector and a Circular Economy to reach its targets.

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