Mass timber has gained popularity as a building material praised for its sustainability and aesthetic appeal. It offers significant environmental benefits because of its reduced carbon footprint and its biophilic design elements which bring a natural, warm aesthetic that can support cognitive performance, physical health and psychological well-being.

Construction sites are often noisy places due to the impacts of diesel-powered equipment. That may be about to change as electric-powered alternatives are increasingly put to use. As well as improving conditions for workers and surrounding residents, such machines have the potential to significantly boost sustainability.

If you think large structures like offices and apartment blocks have to be made from reinforced concrete, think again. Mass timber buildings, using structural elements made from engineered wood, are popping up across the planet on a range of different scales. They can deliver major benefits in both sustainability and user experience.

Demolishing a building is always a challenge. It uses a lot of energy, and usually results in a lot of waste materials – materials that had already generated significant carbon emissions in their production. But things are changing. With the deconstruction of one of our buildings in Finland, we are helping develop a business model for reusing concrete components in a viable circular construction economy.

The construction sector possesses vast opportunities to reduce emissions across the whole value chain, creating big wins for the environment and operational efficiency. A key tool in achieving this is the Scopes model produced under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. So how does the model actually work? And what's a concrete example of how it is being used to decarbonize construction?

Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting is a powerful tool for businesses. But what does it entail and how can businesses leverage GHG accounting to serve company goals? GHG accounting is the process of measuring and monitoring GHG emissions using standardized methods and rules. The most widely used GHG accounting standards come from Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which developed the framework of the three scopes.

The Romans were experts at it: reusing components and materials from old structures to make new ones. Now, as the construction sector works to decarbonize, such an approach is again gaining traction through the circularity movement. So how can we make effective use of old materials from demolished buildings in new construction projects? And just how can the approach be scaled up?

There’s a saying in some sustainability circles that the greenest building is the one that is already built. The idea is that reusing a preexisting structure is always less carbon intensive and more sustainable than creating a structure completely from scratch. But are things really that clear cut?

The world needs construction. The global development and construction sector provides people with homes to live in, infrastructure that keeps our cities moving, and workplaces to be productive. But at the same time, the built environment is responsible for some 40 percent of annual carbon emissions.

With a clear focus on action, Climate Week 2023 brought together more than 1,000 leaders from business, government and the climate sector in New York last week. While the theme this year was “We can. We Will,” discussions for our Skanska team centered around three key actions: Science Based Targets, scaling existing solutions and driving value in the supply chain.

Transport underpins society as we know it. It connects people, enables cultures to evolve, and powers economic growth.

The transportation sector accounted for 37% of end-use sector carbon emissions in 2021. In nearly half of the world’s countries, it’s the leading source of energy-related emissions.

Materials used in construction account for about 10 percent of annual global carbon emissions. Developed by Skanska and its industry partners, the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) is helping builders and designers everywhere to choose lower-carbon materials, with benefits for the whole planet.

In the midst of an ongoing global energy crisis, it is essential that urban environments take steps toward decarbonization and greater energy efficiency.

Timber currently constitutes just 3 percent of the total materials used in European construction, making it a niche practice. The European Commission has much bigger ambitions.

As industries all over the world move toward sustainability, building materials have been thrust into the spotlight.

The built environment will continue to expand to meet the demands of a growing global population. This will require vast quantities of new or repurposed building materials, which in turn could lead to increased carbon emissions. Unless we think differently.