The Construction Industry Council has announced the approval of a new British Standard on sustainability in the built environment
The British Sustainability Competence Standard was formally approved on 22 October 2025.
Titled “Competence Framework for Sustainability in the Built Environment”, it will serve as a source of criteria for further competence frameworks in the construction sector.
The standard is based on an earlier framework
In February, the CIC worked with Edge to create the original framework, which was then sent as a draft to the British Standards Institution.
The framework will now be used to develop more sector-specific frameworks that take into account the scope and competence required.
The built environment is one of the largest contributors of carbon emissions and can be one of the most harmful sectors to the environment. It is expected that this new standard will help to encourage essential, responsible approaches to design, construction, and management.
Simon Foxell, policy coordinator at The Edge, and convenor of the drafting panel, said: “The approval of this proposal marks a pivotal moment for the built environment sector. Establishing a British Standard for sustainability competence will provide a clear, consistent framework that supports professionals in delivering projects aligned with the UK’s net zero and resilience goals. This work is about embedding sustainability at the heart of practice, ensuring that competence is measurable, transparent, and future-focused. We encourage experts from across the industry to contribute their knowledge and help shape this important standard.”
CIOB call for urgent action on sustainability
The Chartered Institute of Building hosted a conference titled ‘Sustainable Construction: Shifting the Narrative’ in September, in which over 200 people attended virtually.
The conference discussed how the built environment should address issues of environmental, social, and economic crises.
Pooran Desai OBE, author and social entrepreneur, and speaker at the conference, said: “We are realising the world is massively interconnected. We face many problems – social, environmental and economic – but can’t solve them in siloes.
“We need solutions that join up across health, climate, jobs, migration and national security. For example, 80% of spending on our health service in the UK is now on diseases primarily caused by diet, lifestyle, social issues such as poor housing, and pollution, like air pollution.
“The construction industry can play its part in becoming part of a future that pulls us together rather than pulls us apart.”
Amanda Williams, CIOB’s head of environmental sustainability, said: “The natural environment seems rarely out of the news headlines at the moment, but much of society still appears to be in denial about the challenges we face.
“The urgency to take joined up action has never been greater, not just to tackle climate change but the interconnected nature and pollution crises too, which are closely linked to community wellbeing.
“The built environment has a significant impact on the natural environment. In fact, around 39% of the world’s carbon emissions come from the construction and maintenance of buildings. It has never been more urgent for us to address the industry’s impact.
“Our projects must have a net positive impact for people, for nature and for the environment. This requires new kinds of leadership, deeper collaboration, and letting imagination guide our actions, as well as science.”
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