TL;DR

• Green building cuts environmental impact, improves efficiency, and enhances wellbeing.
• New trends: circular materials, regenerative/biophilic design, and net-zero systems.
• France/UK regulations are stricter, so compliance is key for bureaux d’études techniques/ design engineering firms
• World Green Building Week (8–12 Sept) highlights best practices and innovation in the sector.

A phrase that makes it to engineering and construction conversations again and again is “green building” and it’s about to become more prominent, as World Green Building Week is underway all of this week! 

This week we bring to you some interesting takeaways from this week, so keep watching this space. 

First things first, what is a green building?

Green building (or green construction) means designing, constructing, and operating buildings in ways that lower environmental impact and improve human health, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. This includes multiple aspects through the life cycle of a construction, such as, smarter resource use (energy, water, materials, land) and minimising waste and greenhouse gas emissions - across the entire lifecycle of a building from design and build to renovation and demolition.

This phase is crucial - the design phase is where major sustainability decisions are made; choices about materials, systems, and layouts set the tone for the footprint of the whole building, inside and out. No pressure though, we’re sharing all the resources you need to get to the bottom of green construction.

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Why Green Design is a critical value proposition for design engineers

We’ve been reporting this here before:  the construction industry accounts for nearly 40% of global energy use and about 33–39% of greenhouse gas emissions. 

The stakes and opportunities for grinder building have never been higher. 

Green construction practices don’t just help the planet, but also reduce operational costs, improve occupant wellbeing, and create competitive advantage. Retrofitting older buildings and using low-emission designs can cut staff sick days by 20%, create millions of new jobs, and lower utility bills through proven reductions in energy demand.

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Green Building Trends We’re watching in 2025

1. New Materials & Circular Construction

The sector is moving rapidly away from high-carbon materials like concrete (responsible for ~8% of global CO₂ emissions) in favour of engineered wood (such as cross-laminated timber), rammed earth, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. Heavy investment is going into upcycling, local stone, and salvaged components.

2. Regenerative & Biophilic Design

Regenerative design means actively restoring nature and supporting biodiversity, not just minimising harm. Biophilic approaches bring greenery, daylight, and natural patterns indoors, now supported by standards like WELL and the Living Building Challenge (which require nature metrics and plant coverage).

3. Net-Zero & Circular Systems

Net-Zero Energy Buildings, delivering as much energy as they consume, continue to rise, empowered by renewables and advanced retrofit solutions. Circular construction practices such as recycling, local material use, prefabrication, and low-emission paints are standardising in both France and the UK.

4. Certification & ESG Expansion

Green standards like LEED and BREEAM have a new focus on decarbonisation, resilience, water, and responsible transport. ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) performance is being demanded by both regulators and investors, with top ESG firms seeing up to 10% lower cost of capital and 20% higher profitability.

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What Is the World Green Building Week?

World Green Building Week (8–12 September 2025) is the world’s largest campaign promoting sustainable built environments. It’s run by the World Green Building Council and a network of over 75 national councils, driving public and private sector action. As the week pans out, we will share the the events and interesting agendas from across the world!

For 2025, the theme is "Business goes better when you’re bold on buildings," celebrating organisations leading the way in sustainability and resilience. Globally, during Green Building Week, expect:

• Educational events, webinars, and site tours
• Storytelling about innovative projects
• Government and industry debates on legislation and the future path
• Explore the events happening in your country, here.

Compliance & Regulations

France and the UK are pioneers in sustainable building policy:

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• France: New climate laws (Climate and Resilience Act, RE2020) require green roofs, enhanced insulation, and stricter standards for energy, carbon, and biodiversity. Subsidies such as MaPrimeRénov and new tax breaks support renovations and renewables.
• EU: The EU Green Deal sets a continent-wide push for zero-carbon and circular construction by 2050, setting benchmarks that directly affect French and UK firms.

Developers and engineering firms must now ensure compliance with evolving local and European directives otherwise, project valuations and funding may be at risk.

References:

• Read more about World Green Building Council & World Green Building Week, here.
• Industry Trends
• Trends and compliance (France/UK/EU):
• European green building market

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