As we come out of our end of year hibernation period for 2023 and try to both digest and interpret what 2023 had in store for us, how we dealt with it, and what we would change if we could; we drag ourselves out into the blinding light of 2024 and hope for a less tumultuous year in the UK’s sustainable construction sector. I am an optimistic person and ‘glass half-full thinking’, as well as doing my best to gaze into the future, is my default position. When working with a team on the sharp end of sustainable building design, there are some trends which simply cannot be ignored and hold great promise for 2024. The following trends are in areas we’ve seen growing design time and client fees being spent to great effect, and that’s why these are my top four sustainable construction prediction of 2024.

In recent years, sustainability has seen a massive increase in priority within the construction industry. As climate change and its effects worsen around the world, architects, builders, and developers are now feeling more compelled to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. While pursuing sustainable building design is definitely a commendable course of action, the process itself has its own set of challenges; introducing potential risks to the construction industry that must be addressed.

In May 2023, we discovered we’d been included in The Sunday Times’ ‘Best Places to Work in 2023’ list . This phenomenal achievement was the icing on the cake of what’s been a great few years for Mesh as an employer. From achieving our B Corp in November 2021, to being recognised in B Corp’s ‘Best in the World’ category for workers in March 2022, to growing the business to the 22-strong team it is today, it’s been both incredible to see our recognition grow, and a mammoth effort to get here.

Incorporating low-energy solutions like solar PV, battery systems, and other energy-efficient technologies into commercial buildings offers several key benefits. We cover the top 5 in our latest blog.

In this second blog on the technology behind low-energy commercial projects, I'll be exploring why solar PV, energy storage, EV charging systems, and LED lighting are crucial assets to any low-energy commercial building.

It's estimated that commercial buildings contribute around 8% of the UK's total annual carbon emissions, and carbon associated with heating, ventilating, and cooling buildings makes up about 40% of a building's total annual energy usage.

When it comes to sustainable and energy-efficient building design, architects are increasingly turning to geothermal technology as a viable option.