An insight into the future of sustainability in construction

The demand for sustainable construction materials and practices is increasing. As consumers and industry professionals learn more about the impact of the construction industry on the environment and human life, a persistent passion for sustainability is emerging.   

“While legislation is moving a little slowly, the market is really pushing for sustainability with a continued and significant emphasis on reducing embodied carbon and adopting low-impact, renewable materials,” says Zoë Delano, Sustainability Lead at Autex Acoustics. 

Where is the industry currently?

“Circular economy principles are gaining traction, with practices like designing for deconstruction, recyclability, and adaptability becoming more mainstream. We’re also noticing more local sourcing initiatives, which is supporting the local economies and driving down Scope 3 emissions. Additionally, there’s an exciting movement around the genuine reuse of materials—not simply recycling but reworking and repurposing existing materials and furniture, which is especially noticeable in the UK.” 

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but the growing support for these sustainability initiatives is exciting. By working towards a circular economy where materials are considered valuable resources at every stage of their lifecycle, with manufacturers taking on the role of material stewardship—investing in sustainable sourcing, production, and end-of-life plans—the construction industry will, in time, noticeably reduce the negative environmental impact.

“The regulatory progress here in the Southern Hemisphere is somewhat slower than the more proactive approaches we’re seeing in markets like the UK and Europe, but it is becoming stricter, which is driving greater accountability,” Zoë says.

Green certifications and rating tools like Green Star, BREEAM and LEED, are becoming more commonplace, alongside life cycle assessments that help us understand and minimise the environmental impacts of buildings and their materials. Using these tools, industry professionals have already been able to make significant progress towards a more sustainable future.

Exploring alternative materials

The development of alternative materials is of particular interest to manufacturers, designers and architects alike—not only for their sustainable qualities, but the possibilities for new and innovative approaches to design.

“Renewable, bio-based materials such as wool, hemp, cellulose and even mycelium are increasingly being explored due to their low-carbon, and in some cases regenerative, properties,” Zoë explains.

Autex Acoustics is actively investing in research and development to expand the practical uses and performance of these materials, confident that the adoption of these natural alternatives will not only reduce embodied carbon but also enhance the indoor environmental qualities of a space.

“We’re seeing materials with inherently lower embodied carbon such as mass timber, recycled aggregates, and low-carbon concrete become more widely available. Homogenous materials are also emerging as a favourable choice, primarily due to their recyclability at end of life. In fact, there’s a stronger push towards designing buildings and interiors with their end-of-life in mind, with new standards like Green Star Fitouts (due to be released mid-2025) rewarding projects for installing detachable products and having material management programmes in place for renovation.”

What does the future hold?

The Autex Acoustics Sustainability Team is particularly excited about their research into low-carbon and carbon-negative materials. 

“These materials actually remove more carbon from the atmosphere than they emit,” Zoë explains.

Alongside this development, Zoë notes that innovation in recycling processes is continuing across various materials. Research into enhancing the durability and performance of natural materials, allowing them to be a competitive alternative to traditional, higher-impact options, is also underway.

“We’re anticipating a broader and deeper adoption of circular economy practices in the future, with circularity becoming fundamental across design, material selection and deconstruction management. Low-carbon and renewable materials will become standard practice, significantly lowering embodied emissions. This shift will likely be reinforced by new building standards and regulations, compelling greater transparency and accountability. Finally, reducing operational and embodied emissions will increasingly be built into projects from the outset, enabling meaningful lifetime carbon reductions.”