CLC C02nstruct Zero

[edit] Green Industrial Revolution

In November 2020, the Government published a 10-point plan for the Green Industrial Revolution. It set out a path to Net Zero by 2050 The Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution included:

• Point 1: Advancing Offshore Wind
• Point 2: Driving the Growth of Low Carbon Hydrogen
• Point 3: Delivering New and Advanced Nuclear Power
• Point 4: Accelerating the Shift to Zero Emission Vehicles
• Point 5: Green Public Transport, Cycling and Walking
• Point 6: Jet Zero and Green Ships
• Point 7: Greener Buildings
• Point 8: Investing in Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage
• Point 9: Protecting Our Natural Environment
• Point 10: Green Finance and Innovation

CO2nstructZero was the construction sector’s response to this as was set up by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) as to how the industry could collectively meet Net Zero.

[edit] CO2nstructZero nine priorities

The organisation used the Climate Change Committee’s 6th Carbon budget to establish nine priorities that went on to frame their action plan, how it will be measured, progression and accountability. The nine priorities fell into three categories as shown below:

• Transport
  • Accelerating the shift of the construction workforce to zero emission vehicles and on site plant.
  • Maximising use of MMC and improved on site logistics, reducing waste and transport to sites.
  • Championing developments and infrastructure investments that both enable connectivity with low carbon modes of transport and design to incorporate readiness for zero emission vehicles.
• Buildings
  • Work with Government to deliver retrofits to improve energy efficiency of the existing housing stock.
  • Scale up industry capability to deliver low carbon heat solutions in buildings, supporting heat pump development, trials of hydrogen heating systems and heat networks.
  • Enhancing the energy performance of new and existing buildings through higher operational energy efficiency standards and better building energy performance monitoring.
• Construction activity
  • Implementing carbon measurement to support construction projects in making quantifiable decisions to remove carbon.
  • Become world leaders in designing out carbon, developing capability of designers and construction professionals to develop designs in line with circular economy, reducing embedded and operational carbon, shifting commercial models to incentivise and reward measurable carbon reductions.
  • Supporting development of innovative low carbon materials (prioritising concrete and steel) as well as advancing low carbon solutions for manufacturing production processes and distribution

[edit] CO2nstructZero Framework and client carbon commitments

As part of the programme the CLC published its CO2nstructZero Performance Framework, developed to provide a sector level dashboard on progression towards Net Zero. It's aim is to motivate businesses to action and to help those outside the sector understand the programmes progress. The framework can be downloaded here.

Further to the CO2nstructZero programme CLC developed its Five Client Carbon Commitments, calling upon clients to act in support of net zero with simple, practical steps that organisations can take to show how they are reducing their carbon emissions and by when. The Five Client Carbon Commitments for clients transition construction to net-zero are to:

1. Procure for low carbon construction and provide incentives in our contracts
2. Set phase out dates for fossil fuel use
3. Eliminate the most carbon intensive concrete products
4. Eliminate the most carbon intensive steel products
5. Adopt PAS 2080, Carbon Management in Infrastructure, as a common standard.

For further information about CO2nstructZero initiatives and to find out more visit: https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/workstream/co2nstructzero/

[edit] Membership updates

In June 2025 CLC announced "Construct Zero: Announcement of new Business Champions". The Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) Construct Zero programme is delighted to announce that a further nine organisations have signed up to become Construct Zero Business Champions - bringing the total number to 140 – providing tangible evidence of the steps they are taking to respond to the Net Zero carbon challenge and support the wider Construct Zero programme.

• Action Sustainability
• Ansell Lighting
• GeoPura
• Leadax
• LoftZone
• Merritt and Fryers
• Powell Dobson Architects
• Speedy Hire
• StrucLock

These organisations join as Construct Zero continues to play a leading role in the sector’s charge to Net Zero, supporting the Prime Minister’s announcement at COP29 to increase the UK’s efforts to decarbonise by 2035.

Construction Leadership Council Deputy Co-Chair Richard Robinson said: “To continue making progress across all nine Construct Zero priority areas, it’s vital that the CLC extends its reach to engage with firms all of types and sizes. As such I welcome our new Business Champions and invite those not already working with Construct Zero to consider the role they could play as the industry continues its Net Zero journey."

In May 2024 CLC announced the 'UK’s biggest infrastructure companies sign pledge to decarbonise the construction sector'. Anglian Water, Heathrow, The Lower Thames Crossing, National Highways, Northumbrian Water and Sellafield commit to tackle their biggest contributors to COemissions during construction – diesel, steel, and concrete. As the firms signed up to the Construction Leadership Council’s “Five Client Carbon Commitments” setting out their commitments on the journey to Net Zero. The pledges will giving certainty, confidence, and clarity to the whole infrastructure sector supply chain on their biggest clients’ plans to decarbonise their projects.

The CLC also asked client organisations to commit to using PAS2080, creating a common carbon management standard across the industry, and to put carbon reduction at the heart of their procurement processes. These pledges are a move that has been pioneered by the Lower Thames Crossing, resulting in a 50% reduction in carbon in its procurement process which concluded recently. With the organisations already signing up expected to invest tens of billions into UK infrastructure over the following decade and, through their buying power, can collectively give certainty to the supply chain on the increased demand for innovative low carbon products and solutions.

At the time other CLC said "In the coming months, more organisations are scheduled to sign up to the pledge, including East West Rail, Environment Agency, Houses of Parliament Restoration & Renewal, and National "Grid.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• CLC publishes Construct Zero Performance Framework.
• C02nstruct Zero programme.
• COP21 Paris 2015.
• Construction Leadership Council CLC.
• Construction skills crisis threatens UK net zero goals.
• CO2nstruct Zero programme grows to over 70 businesses.
• Key messages from the UN climate change conference.
• National Retrofit Strategy v2 launches.
• Net zero carbon 2050.
• Recommendations for implementation of the National Retrofit Strategy.
• What has the UK done about carbon reduction since the Paris Agreement?