To meet the growing demands of frameworks like PAS 2080 and the increasing need for reliable carbon data, the industry is waking up to the benefits of better data capture, clearer visibility, and more integrated workflows
UK infrastructure has often been seen as behind the times when it comes to technology.
However, the latest report from construction data firm NBS challenges that idea.
‘Digital transformation is increasingly becoming an integral part of how we design, construct, and maintain the built environment’ writes innovation director Dr. Stephen Hamil. ‘We see an industry that’s gaining confidence in its digital future’.
What’s changed: headline shifts in measurement
For businesses across UK infrastructure – from construction and civils to landscaping and highways – embodied carbon is becoming a central part of how work is specified, delivered, and audited. Clients are asking for job‑level carbon evidence. Tenders increasingly require carbon transparency and reduction planning. And contractors need consistent, auditable data for compliance.
In this light, it’s notable that the sector has seen sharp increases in the use of digital tools for environmental assessment:
- Embodied carbon measurement has risen significantly in two years, growing from 40% to 60.3%.
- Now only 15.4% of respondents don’t use digital technology for these assessments.
These changes reflect practical on-site needs: the ability to provide accurate, real-time environmental data across the project lifecycle. Digital tools enable transparency, and they give teams insights to optimise performance across their contracts.
Concerns about change
With new technology comes less positive perspectives too. The NBS report notes that while momentum is positive, adoption brings uneven impacts across organisations.
Some businesses are already turning measurement into routine practice while 57.6% of respondents reported anxiety that they’re failing to keep pace with change and that they risk being left behind. This has risen from 36% in 2023.
‘The concern about being left behind is particularly pronounced among respondents from smaller organisations,’ the report reads, before highlighting that almost 70% disagreed with the statement that digital transformation is only for larger organisations.
Other challenges noted in the report:
- Scattered data and disconnected tools slow progress
Teams are still struggling when information sits in multiple systems that don’t talk to each other. The result is duplicated effort and poor visibility of data. - Skills and training gaps hold back adoption
Even as tools become easier to access, many organisations – especially smaller ones – lack the time, guidance, and confidence to use them well. Without practical training, uptake stalls and value is delayed.
- Smaller firms face the steepest implementation climb
Introducing new workflows can feel disruptive for these teams. Limited capacity and competing day‑to‑day pressures make change management harder, even as overall industry confidence grows.
Re‑flow’s field management software is part of the digital transformation trend across UK infrastructure. Their forthcoming PAS 2080 module is designed to help teams take on the latest challenges shaping the sector.
If you’re interested in software that covers carbon reporting alongside end-to-end site management, book a demo and discovery call.
The post UK infrastructure’s carbon reporting revolution: surprising new trends in digital uptake appeared first on Planning, Building & Construction Today.
