What is sustainable construction? 4 considerations + examples

Modern construction is inherently tied to the environment’s health. Cities excavate land for development, suppliers produce lumber from forests, and construction itself can pollute the environment with heavy machinery and production waste. 

Even after the building is standing and occupied, it consumes energy to power lights and temperature controls, dark roofs create heat islands, and landscaped grass lawns disrupt native ecosystems. 

Sustainable construction is a commitment to minimise the negative impacts of construction before and during the building process. It also considers the lifetime sustainability of the building itself.

Learn more about sustainable construction principles and practices below, plus real-life examples of how they’re helping businesses reach global climate goals. 

Table of Contents

• What is sustainable construction
• Why is sustainability important?
• How to improve building sustainability
• Sustainable construction examples

What is sustainable construction?

Sustainable construction prioritises environmental and social well-being throughout the construction process. It considers everything from eco-friendly, ethically-harvested building materials to the efficiency and lifespan of the appliances installed. 

Green building principles aim to minimise negative environmental impacts created by new development. So, it’s not just about recycling lumber from the last project. Sustainable construction designs energy-efficient, long-lasting structures that work with their surroundings instead of against them. 

To accomplish this, professionals have agreed on seven key sustainable construction principles, including:

1. Start with sustainable design, including research into available materials, the building’s location and ecosystem, and opportunities to reduce material use and environmental impacts via smart design. 
2. Use sustainable materials that are renewable or repairable, and look for certifications from organisations like the Forest Stewardship Council© (FSC) to verify ethically- and environmentally sourced materials. 
3. Reduce waste by reusing and recycling existing materials, building repurposable, adaptive structures, and avoiding hazardous materials and processes. 
4. Prioritise energy efficiency in the building process and its design. Include great insulation, energy-efficient appliances, and location-informed design. 
5. Make durable structures with construction best practices and long-lasting, repairable materials so the building is good long term.
6. Conserve and protect water with low-flow plumbing and leak detection/prevention measures. Follow building regulations to protect local ecosystems and freshwater resources.
7. Improve air quality with good ventilation and filtered HVAC systems, and avoid products that can cause indoor pollution. 

It’s also important to research local regulations and follow best practices to minimise environmental damage. This is especially true if building sites neighbour waterways or sensitive ecosystems like wetlands that require extra care and consideration. 

Finally, sustainable construction isn’t just about the environment; it also considers human rights and ethical labour practices. So responsible material sourcing, fair wages, and respect for local cultural sites and behaviours are essential for truly sustainable buildings. 

All of these considerations fold into sustainability certifications and goals across industries.

Why is sustainability important in construction?

The construction industry is particularly hard on the environment, with material sourcing and operational practices responsible for 37 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

Extracting and manufacturing construction materials causes significant environmental impacts, with irresponsible cement, iron, and timber sourcing that fuels: 

• Habitat destruction 
• High water use
• Air pollution 
• Illegal logging
• Greenhouse gas emissions

That’s not to mention the human impact of unethical mining and extraction practices, the destruction of local cultures and land, and resource conflicts that disrupt Indigenous Peoples’ lives. This is a particular problem for uncertified timber processing that drives deforestation. 

Sustainable construction practices aim to reduce material use in the first place. After that, they prioritise certified, ethical, and renewable resources with as few negative impacts on the people and environments involved. 

Respecting local environments and traditions means protecting local resources and ecosystems that Indigenous Peoples rely on. These communities are also the best stewards of the environment, so they’re valuable sources of knowledge for ethical and sustainable development. 

This is a part of the mitigation hierarchy framework designed to help professionals reduce impacts from initial project planning stages through execution.

4 ways to improve building sustainability

There are countless ways to improve sustainability in construction, often grouped within seven key principles. But the largest impacts come from avoiding unsustainable practices in the first place and responsible sourcing of construction material.

Explore high-impact ways to build sustainably below.

Avoid sensitive ecosystems with guidance from locals and Indigenous Peoples

Eliminating construction’s environmental impact isn’t possible, but companies can avoid vulnerable lands when sourcing materials and identifying construction sites. 

Avoiding disruptions in sensitive ecosystems protects native flora and fauna habitats. It also prevents human influences, like light, noise, and ground pollution, from negatively impacting natural behaviours and the overall health of creatures living there. 

Hazardous zones prone to natural disasters are also less-than-sustainable building sites. Construction activities further harm the fragile ecosystem, and frequent natural disasters threaten the structure’s sustainability.

Understanding the details of a new location and its sensitivities isn’t always straightforward. Beyond regulations, local communities and Indigenous Peoples are the best resource for learning about an area. 

Sustainable construction should follow Indigenous Peoples’ lead and avoid materials or locations that disrupt the ecosystem or cultural sites.

Use renewable energy sources in construction and design

Energy efficiency is a powerful way consumers and businesses can manage their carbon footprint. High-efficiency practices and appliances can reduce carbon emissions and pollutants while also saving energy costs, so there are benefits for everyone involved. 

Energy efficiency remains important in construction as both a practice on the building site and a consideration in the building’s design. 

Low-energy practices are accessible, appealing, and beneficial for the environment. According to the UNEP, these efforts have already helped decrease operational emission projections by 25 points to 50 per cent of the industry’s total emissions. 

But it’s not the be-all and end-all of sustainable construction. In fact, higher-impact practices like certified lumber sourcing are slower to gain widespread adoption as a sustainable business practice.

Consider material source certifications

The process of extracting materials from the Earth can cause significant environmental and social harm. 

Metals like aluminium (created with iron ore, bauxite, and other materials) are recyclable resources, so some would assume it’s sustainable. However, mining the raw materials requires building a mine, which leads to habitat destruction, excessive water use, and human interference in remote areas.

Mining bauxite, in particular, generates “red mud,” a highly alkaline and saline waste. This byproduct further harms local wildlife and ecosystems, ultimately harming the Indigenous Peoples that rely on them. 

There are ways to avoid this kind of environmental destruction and the social harm of raw material harvesting. 

Certifications from organizations like FSC© aim to help designers and builders vet supply chains and ensure the building materials are harvested responsibly with fair labour practices in mind. They also prioritise protections for Indigenous Peoples, including access to and stewardship of existing resources and cultural sites.

Minimise impact with sustainable materials 

In addition to where businesses source materials from, the actual materials chosen for the project can significantly impact sustainability. 

Construction materials generally fall into these categories:

• Renewable biomaterials like sustainable wood, bamboo, and plant matter that grow on the Earth and can be replaced with new plants. 
• Nonrenewable materials like aluminium or steel are manufactured with harvested organic materials that aren’t easily replaceable.

Renewable biomaterials are almost always the most sustainable choice because we can generate new resources. They often require less processing than nonrenewables and are​​ typically degradable, so there’s less harmful byproduct waste. 

But there’s nuance to this. Renewable materials still need to be harvested, which requires labour. Not prioritising a sustainable supply chain opens opportunities for exploitation, unfair labour practices, and human rights violations. 

Irresponsible harvesting can also damage the environment through deforestation, pollution, and waste. 

Luckily, technology is improving the sustainability of nonrenewable materials through decarbonization. Traditionally, manufacturers improve high-emission materials like cement using recycled aggregates, reduced clinker-to-cement ratios, and energy-efficient kilns. 

If sustainably sourced biomaterials alone can’t cover the project, opt for low- or zero-carbon nonrenewables like this improved cement or steel made from direct-reduced iron. 

Avoid nonrenewable materials that are more difficult to manage sustainably. Items like plastic are recyclable, but without a plan for reuse or recycling, they often end up in landfills or oceans. 

This waste further pollutes the Earth and generates new problems like microplastics over the decades and centuries it takes to decompose.

Sustainable construction examples

Technology like decarbonized steel is already here and improving the sustainability of the construction industry at large. Explore real-life examples of sustainable construction in action below. 

Biophilic buildings promote connection and well-being

Biophilic building designs prioritise natural solutions over manufactured alternatives, from material sourcing to building design and function. This can look like FSC-certified timber framework and insulated windows for natural working light year-round.

This practice supports sustainability’s importance with a focus on durable biomaterials in the construction process. 

Planning also considers the building’s use and aims to find a balance between nature and our daily lives for increased health and wellness. Green spaces, natural lighting, and good ventilation are all associated with positive mental and physical health. 

These features also contribute to sustainable building practices. For example, natural lighting and rooftop gardens can decrease energy reliance on electrical lighting and low-efficiency temperature control. 

Toronto prioritises mass timber for affordable housing

Timber remains a top choice sustainable building material as housing demands increase globally. To manage costs and need, construction projects are turning to mass timber – engineered timber made of several layers of glued wood for increased strength in construction use. 

While the manufacturing process adds an extra step, mass timber is still more sustainable than materials like steel. However, that’s not universally true. 

Sustainably sourced mass timber is ethically harvested from certified sources and shipped relatively short distances to minimise the carbon emissions from production.

The City of Toronto is currently rolling out an affordable housing pilot project with mass timber, and Quebec City has already used this sustainable material effectively. They built Origine, a 13-storey residential building made of FSC-certified, Quebec-sourced wood that helped the project avoid 1,000 metric tons of CO2.

LEED certifications for construction

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and certification is one of the world's most recognised sustainable construction frameworks. It aims to benefit people and the environment by improving buildings' health, efficiency, and cost savings. 

LEED isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It has specific frameworks for interior design, existing building operations, new sustainable construction, and more. Its wide reach across ESG goals and building elements creates a holistic system that supports sustainable building accessibility in a variety of industries.

LEED certified buildings are awarded points by addressing basic prerequisites and specific sustainability credits regarding carbon, energy, waste, materials, and more. 

Verified projects earn a certification level according to their earned points: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. 

So a builder using FSC-certified construction materials earns extra points that may push the project to the next certification level. The environment and building occupants benefit from the improved sustainability, and better LEED certifications can also increase the building’s resale value.

Build better and protect forests with certified lumber

Sustainable construction practices and technology are always improving to reduce the negative environmental impacts of construction, as well as protecting the rights and health of humans producing, living, and working in these buildings. 

Green building principles start at the beginning, with smart research and design and sustainably sourced materials. 

Build better with renewable, energy-efficient, FSC-certified lumber for healthier forests and homes.

Additional resources

LEED ratings and certifications are the global standard for Green Buildings. Explore frameworks for specific project needs, from residential to commercial buildings and new construction to existing renovations. 

Consumers looking for sustainable buildings professionals can explore popular professional finders like Houzz that allow you to filter your search for green contractors.

State- and city-level sustainability organizations often promote local, green businesses across a variety of industries. These associations can be a great resource for finding sustainable building professionals.

Builders can consider professional accreditations from the Green Building Alliance for education and career development. These include LEED Credentials, Living Future Accreditation, BPI Certified Professional training, and more. 

Browse Urban Green Council training on design, building, and maintenance best practices. Choose from live programs, day classes, or on-demand courses according to your needs and convenience. 

Sourcing

1. UNEP (2023) Building Materials And The Climate: Constructing A New Future. https://www.unep.org/resources/report/building-materials-and-climate-constructing-new-future (accessed 16 October 2024)
2. UKGBC (2024) What are the environmental impacts of construction materials? An introduction to Embodied Ecological Impacts. https://ukgbc.org/news/introduction-to-embodied-ecological-impacts/ (accessed 16 October 2024)
3. Smithsonian National Zoo. Mitigation Hierarchy. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/ccs/mitigation-hierarchy (accessed 17 October 2024)
4. USGBC (2024) Applying LEED to healthcare projects. https://support.usgbc.org/hc/en-us/articles/12126333712659-Applying-LEED-to-healthcare-projects (accessed 17 October 2024)
5. Practice Greenhealth. Energy. https://practicegreenhealth.org/topics/energy/energy (accessed 17 October 2024)