NOVEMBER 2025CONSTRUCTIONBUSINESSREVIEW.COM9need is the bedrock. An average building that implements these strategies avoids emitting 2,650 tons of CO2 annually. Recycling throughout a project's lifecycle and tracking every material at a granular level also works to reduce waste and minimize emissions at every step. Another saver of both cost and the environment is transitioning away from natural gas as a power source and towards electrifying processes, from machinery to buildings. We now have the opportunity to meet building energy needs with electricity from increasingly low-carbon electric grids ­ reducing, even eliminating, direct fossil fuel use. Electric construction technology is a developing arena, and we're finding increased consumer appeal and reduced fuel costs the technology brings outweigh the upfront costs. Currently, solar is the most cost-effective power source on the market. Adding solar panels to a building can reduce and even eliminate energy costs.Beyond cost, we also have the opportunity to impact high-performance workplace culture. Research is increasingly demonstrating that healthy buildings play a role in productivity. From the client perspective, good daylighting, improved thermal comfort, fresh air, and the use of natural materials, help to attract and retain tenants and top talent.Future-Proof InvestmentHigh performance construction, however, goes beyond sustainability. It considers how a building influences the performance of the occupants and how efficiently it operates throughout its lifecycle. What we build today affects what and how we build tomorrow. Designing net-zero projects from the project's onset reduces risks as sustainability becomes a higher priority. A net-zero building won't need efficiency upgrades to stay competitive. It's a future-proof investment that incurs less cost over time. Contractors can play a key role in keeping sustainability top of mind and future forward, from introducing new technologies to evaluating project cost-benefit potential to integrating energy modeling and operational goals that lower emissions. Embodied carbon modeling allows us to lower overall carbon impact from construction materials. Exploring lifecycle cost models, recyclability of materials, solar arrays, eco-friendly equipment and lower carbon concrete are also possibilities that are already in our toolkit. Our success in using and expanding our methods and impact extends beyond the spaces we create. With the decisions we drive today, we do more than bring our clients' visions to life. We build a legacy to stand through the ages. Research is increasingly demonstrating that healthy buildings play a role in productivity. From the client perspective, good daylighting, improved thermal comfort, fresh air, and the use of natural materials, help to attract and retain tenants and top talent.
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