The housebuilding sector has been urged to embed lower carbon delivery into every part of the build following the publication of the Future Homes Standard.

According to Ian Dean, Managing Director, Concrete Products at Holcim UK, the combination of the new regulatory requirements with government plans for seven new towns across England demands a far more holistic and coordinated approach to sustainable construction. He said the UK is entering one of its most ambitious phases of housebuilding in decades, and that meeting rising expectations will depend on earlier collaboration and stronger attention to embodied carbon.

He also stressed the pressures the sector faces as 2028 approaches. “We all want to get spades in the ground tomorrow, but the industry needs time to adapt. Planning cycles are long and 2028 is not far away, which means we must move faster and close regulatory loopholes if the policy is going to deliver what it promises.”

Lower carbon materials must be embedded throughout construction

Dean emphasised that decarbonising new homes begins long before heat pumps or rooftop solar are installed. “It is a positive step to see heat pumps and rooftop solar mandated, but if the concrete blocks, the foundations, the groundworks and the driveway materials are not low carbon or made with recycled content, you undercut the green credentials of the development from the start. We have to embed lower carbon delivery into every part of the build.”

He said attention must now turn to embodied carbon in core materials. “The structure, the subbase and the infrastructure around the home all have a major role to play. If we get that right, the operational improvements delivered through the Future Homes Standard will go even further.”

Early involvement is essential to achieving the best outcomes

Holcim UK argues that early project involvement is fundamental to delivering the performance expected from new housing developments. According to Dean, early collaboration allows the company to combine traditional and lower carbon solutions in the most effective way. “Collaboration at the design stage allows us to bring forward the right mix of traditional and sustainable products and identify the best solution for each project.”

He highlighted Holcim UK’s ability to support the full construction process. “Whether it is aggregates, asphalt, recycled materials, ready mix concrete using lower carbon cement, recycled aggregates or recycled blocks, we support developers at every stage. We invest in innovation because customers need solutions that are high quality, cost efficient and lower carbon.”

Performance, he added, remains non-negotiable. “Quality and cost efficiency are always central. The shift toward more sustainable construction only works if it delivers higher quality outcomes at the same time.”

New towns require deeper collaboration across the value chain

The scale of the new towns programme makes supply chain coordination more important than ever. Dean believes early engagement will be critical to building places that are genuinely fit for the future. “If we get involved early with construction teams and supply chain partners, we can build better towns and better places to live.”

Yet he also pointed to the hurdles. “There is still friction in parts of the value chain. We need more holistic partnerships if we are to deliver these new communities at the scale and quality required.”

A positive policy direction, but delivery capability must follow

Dean welcomed the ambition behind the new towns programme and the Future Homes Standard, while urging continued focus on practical delivery. “This is a step in the right direction, but we must ask whether everything needed to make it happen is fully in place. The hope is that it leads to greener construction and greater quality, but we all have a role to play in making sure it does.”

Holcim UK plans to work with its construction sector partners to establish a new benchmark for integrated, low carbon development. Early collaboration, thoughtful material choices and consistent regulation will be essential to creating communities that work well now and, in the years, ahead.

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