10 Sustainable Construction Companies Setting New Industry Standards

Sustainable construction companies have become increasingly popular in recent years amid growing calls for improved eco-consciousness and efficiency. Explore 10 leading enterprises in the building industry that place a premium on environmentally friendly practices.

What Is Sustainable Construction?

The construction industry is notorious for its immense carbon footprint, accounting for roughly 42% of annual greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Primarily, this comes from the production and transportation of materials used, as well as the waste generated on site. There’s also embodied carbon from lighting, cooling and heating the buildings upon completion. 

Sustainable construction seeks to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment by adhering to six fundamental principles:

• Eco-friendly building materials
• Water conservation
• Waste reduction
• Energy efficiency
• Indoor air quality
• Optimized operational and maintenance practices

Technology is at the forefront of actualizing these tenets. For instance, Building Information Modeling software creates digital models that integrate sustainability features into construction during the design process. Another example is prefabrication, which produces a building’s components off-site to minimize waste and improve on-site efficiency. 

Adopting the principles of sustainability in construction leads to a number of benefits, including lower operating costs, regulatory compliance and improved reputation in the industry. According to a recent report, companies that placed ESG at the forefront of their decision-making earned 28% cumulative growth within five years. 

Green buildings are also beneficial to individuals since they promote healthier indoor environments, improving well-being and productivity among residents. 

10 Sustainable Construction Companies in 2024

These construction firms are leading the charge toward net-zero emissions through various activities, including the manufacture of green building materials, renewable energy integrations, recycling and more. 

1. Radius Recycling

Formerly known as Schnitzer Steel Industries, Radius Recycling promotes sustainability in its operations by recycling metals and reusing discarded materials that might otherwise end up in landfills. 

According to its 2023 sustainability report, the company recycled over 4.7 million metric tons of metals, preventing 5.4 million metric tons of carbon emissions as a result. 

2. Holcim

Holcim is a global leader in construction, with over 60,000 employees worldwide. As part of its commitment to the circular economy, the company installs water recycling systems in construction sites to reduce freshwater withdrawals. 

Holcim has also partnered with the Science Based Targets initiative to validate its goals of recycling 70 million tons of construction waste by 2030. 

3. Cemex 

Cemex is a well-known company in the cement products and services sector. Its sustainability efforts revolve around its VERTUA® cement and concrete products, which use less energy to produce, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. 

The company also focuses on replacing fossil fuels in its operations and producing clinker, a cement by-product, with solar. Additionally, Cemex is big on recycling, currently managing 25% of Mexico City’s nonrecyclable waste for fuel. 

4. Kingspan Group 

Based in Ireland, Kingspan provides building envelope solutions, such as high-performance insulation and waterproofing. According to its 2022 annual report, the company saved an estimated 173 million tonnes of carbon through its insulation panels and recycled 803 million waste plastic bottles for production. 

Kingspan Group has also set a number of sustainability targets for 2030, including net-zero carbon manufacturing and 60% direct renewable energy use. 

5. 2050 Materials 

Founded in 2021, 2050 Materials is an innovative resource for the construction industry to source sustainable materials. Its digital platform allows manufacturers, architects, designers and other stakeholders to explore, compare, and source eco-friendly components for effective decision-making. 

Essentially, the company makes it easy for construction projects to find the most innovative, locally sourced products to meet their requirements.

6. Carbon Limit 

Carbon Limit is the company behind CaptureCrete™, a concrete additive for capturing atmospheric CO2 during cement production. The product is mixed into the cement to absorb carbon dioxide and harden it to precipitate calcium carbonate, ensuring at least 1,000 years of permanence. 

The company also claims using CaptureCrete in construction can result in up to 75% carbon reduction over the building’s life span. 

7. Valsir S.p.A 

This Italy-based company specializes in environmentally friendly electricity generation and HVAC solutions for construction projects. Its sustainability revolves around solar energy integrations and plastic recycling. 

Between 2020 and 2021, the company’s in-house solar power systems provided 83% of the total energy needs of its three facilities. Valsir also designs and manufactures its pallets from 100% recycled plastic, repurposing over 10 million kilograms of plastic waste in the same period. 

8. Lendlease 

Lendlease is an Australian construction company with a mission to eliminate GHG emissions from its business operations by 2040. To this end, it has aligned with the 1.5°C campaign, a UN-backed program aimed at limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. 

The company’s sustainability framework aims to reduce scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions by implementing alternative fuels, purchasing renewable electricity and sourcing carbon-friendly cement that can lower embodied carbon emissions by up to 10%. 

9. Sims Limited 

Sims Limited is a leading metal recycling and repurposing company serving the construction industry across 30 countries. Every year, the company diverts millions of tonnes of secondary materials from landfills to create new products. 

According to its 2023 Sustainability Report, Sims Limited achieved 84% renewable energy consumption and 32% lowered emissions. The company is also a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which tracks the top 2,500 companies based on environmental and social criteria. 

10. Mace

Mace has been a carbon-neutral construction company since 2020 and has pledged to reduce its global carbon footprint further by 10% each year. In 2021, it joined The Climate Pledge, a non-profit organization aimed at facilitating regular reporting, carbon elimination and credible offsets. 

Its 2022 ESG report highlights significant strides in sustainability efforts, including a 7% reduction in carbon emissions and 1.14 million tonnes of client carbon saved for the year. 

Eco-conscious Construction Equals a Sustainable Future

The construction industry is gradually adopting eco-friendly practices. However, there is still a long way to go, especially with regard to the costs of integrating green solutions into current processes. 

Nevertheless, the incredible work these companies are putting into reducing their carbon footprint is transforming the future of construction. More importantly, they provide compelling evidence that it is indeed possible for the industry to chart a new course toward sustainable development and resource utilization for the benefit of the next generation.