Penelope McCallum, Head of Sustainability for EMEA and Maria Russo, Head of Customer Experience for EMEA at Unispace, discuss the impact of construction on global CO₂ emissions and biodiversity loss. They firmly believe that we already have the tools to build sustainably – the real challenge lies in adoption, which ultimately depends on effective communication and customer experience.
Approximately 57.6 million people live in urban areas in the UK, compared to around 10.5 million in rural areas. This means that around 84% of the UK population resides in cities (Statista). Unsurprisingly, these areas are more likely to experience poorer air quality. Across the UK, up to 48,000 deaths have been directly attributed to poor air quality (Clean Air Programme). This excludes broader health impacts like reduced life expectancy and conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and cancer – there is also growing evidence that it also significantly affects mental wellbeing.
So why is this relevant to construction?
Because we spend 90% of our time indoors – whether at home or at work. While not all pollutants come from buildings, design and construction play a key role in filtering and protecting against them. Through improved insulation, ventilation, and material choices, the industry now has the tools to significantly reduce the impact of air pollution. Looking more broadly, the environmental
impact of construction is huge. According to the World Green Building Council (WGBC), buildings are responsible for around 40% of global CO₂ emissions, 50% of all extracted materials, 33% of water consumption, and 35% of global waste generation. On top of this, construction is also responsible for approximately 30% of global biodiversity loss (Arup).
These figures are set against a backdrop of increasing pressure: by 2050, the global population is projected to rise by 27% – reaching 9.8 billion. Meanwhile, the total global building floor area is
expected to double by 2060. This places the construction sector firmly among the top three most environmentally damaging industries, alongside agriculture and energy. Yet despite this, construction rarely receives the same level of media attention for change. Aviation, for example, is frequently criticised, and while it undeniably contributes to climate change, it accounts
for only 2.5 to 3% of global CO₂ emissions. Notably, just 10% of the global population uses air travel. In contrast, every one of the 8.6 billion people expected to be on Earth by 2050 will live, work or be affected by the building industry – yet the urgency to reform construction remains underrepresented in the media and is driven mainly by well informed clients or organisations with robust
sustainability goals.
Many solutions already exist but are not always utilised. We know how to build better. But adoption of these practices is not happening at the scale or speed needed. The IEA state that “More rapid changes are needed to get on track with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE) Scenario. This decade is crucial for implementing the measures required to achieve the targets of all new buildings and 20% of the existing building stock being zerocarbon-ready by 2030. There are many reasons for this – but a key one, in our view, is communication and the importance of customer experience in really driving forward change and demonstrating to our clients the opportunities that exist by improving the sustainable performance of their assets. Focussing on the UK we are all aware
of the importance and opportunities associated with sustainable construction that include but are not limited to:
Designing for demountability, circularity, urban mining, UKGBC pathway to Net Zero, biophilic design, nature based solutions to name but a few and this is on top of certified schemes such as WELL, LEED, BREEAM, Fitwell and SKA.
When we engage with internal teams and customers, do we tailor the opportunities to suit the audience?
Do we upskill staff, so everyone understands the opportunities or do we wheel in the expert for ten minutes and take them away again?
Why do we assume the expert will convey the right message?
With external influences and media messaging with bias, have we created a subject that is seen as too scientific and as such is it now seen as a hurdle or opportunity?
Do we sell a cost or an opportunity?
Let’s be clear here, sustainable buildings do cost more. According to the WGBC, Capex costs maybe higher (0 to 12%) but long-term benefits ensure these costs
should be recouped within around 5 years through:
• Capital values up to 20%
• Rental premiums up to 12%
• Avoidance of stranded assets
• 30yrs cumulative costs for standard fit out €1500/m2
• 30yrs cumulative for circular design €700/ m2 (ARUP) so actual savings to be made.
For tenants in commercial buildings staff productivity can increase up to 15% which equates roughly to £17,400 of output per worker (CBI) and a positive impact on retention rate of up to 23% (JLL). Then less tangible but no less important increased customer bases and operational costs. So the business case is there, but how do we communicate the business case into each project?
How do we turn opportunity into action?
The problem isn’t a lack of knowledge. As the previous section shows, we know how to build better – and we understand the economic, environmental, and social benefits. Yet adoption still lags. One of the biggest reasons isn’t technical – it’s human. It’s how we communicate and engage in the right way. Essentially how we deliver customer experience. We can achieve sustainability goals when we listen closely – ideas can then thrive.
Customer experience and sustainability: Interdependent partnership
Sustainability and customer experience are not separate disciplines. In fact, they are deeply connected – and mutually reinforcing. To meet our long-term environmental, social, and
economic goals, we must do three things well:
• Listen: Understand client needs, including their sustainability ambitions, operational priorities, and long-term goals.
• Guide: Communicate clearly, offer options, and tailor sustainable solutions to the audience.
• Deliver: Provide seamless, high-quality experiences that make it easy to choose sustainability – and celebrate the outcomes.
According to Bain & Company, 80% of companies believe they deliver superior customer experiences, yet only 8% of customers agree. How we measure and understand customer satisfaction, especially in light of this significant gap, matters – because if we’re not delivering great experiences, we’re not building the trust needed to drive change.
Embedding sustainability through the entire customer journey
To truly integrate sustainability, it must be part of the full project lifecycle-not just a feature, but a mindset. Here’s how this looks in practice, aligned to the RIBA Plan of Work:
• Stages 0–1: Strategic definition and preparation: Build trust through open dialogue. Ask thoughtful questions. Co-create a clear brief with defined sustainability goals. Define objectives from the outset.
• Stages 2–4: Design and preconstruction: Deepen trust by aligning design with client values. Keep objectives visible. Involve delivery teams early and share insights to ensure a smooth handover into construction.
• Stage 5: Construction: Sustain trust with regular updates. Communicate challenges clearly. Support timely, confident decisions.
• Stages 6–7: Handover and use: Trust doesn’t end at completion. Stay engaged, ask for feedback, act on it, and celebrate shared achievements. At Unispace, postoccupancy evaluations and surveys are core to our offering to ensure objectives are exceeded in creating a customercentric, future-proofed space.
Making the case: Why experience matters
Customer experience isn’t just a “nice to have” – it’s measurable, powerful, and profitable:
• 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great experience (PwC)1.
• 80% of customers say they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalised experiences. (Forbes)2
• 77% of consumers view brands more favourably if they seek out and apply customer feedback. (Microsoft)3
• Companies with a customer-centric culture are 60% more profitable (Deloitte)4
• A single poor experience can drive away 32% of customers, even from brands they love. (PWC)5 Excellent Customer Experience helps sustainability efforts get noticed, appreciated, and widely adopted.
So, what are three key takeaways:
1. Clear communication: Builds trust and accountability and ensures ideas are heard and business cases developed.
2. Consistency across touchpoints – develop a methodology that all projects can follow: In service, messaging, and delivery – these sets expectations and reduces the potential for friction.
3. Sustainability: Integrated across the project lifecycle creates lasting value for clients, communities, and the planet. The ethos is simple but powerful:
Listen, Guide, Deliver.
When we do this well, we move from simply building spaces to building relationships – and driving real change. At Unispace using a set methodology that includes all subject disciplines from
Strategy, Design, and FF&E, through to Construction across each stage, ensures a consistent approach, that clients are listened to, and opportunities for sustainable improvement maximised.
Client aspirations can then be front and centre with bespoke strategies for each project identified and delivered.
