Sustainability Statement for Construction Projects: A Best-Practice Guide

What does a best-practice sustainability statement for a construction project actually need to cover? Sustainability statements are a mandatory part of the planning process for many new developments or changes of use to existing structures, but they can vary dramatically in quality – and on a construction project specifically, a statement that doesn’t reflect what’s actually being built rarely survives scrutiny from a planning officer. We’ve developed our approach to these reports with care over time. Here we share some of the most useful principles that have shaped them – by no means an exhaustive list, but a solid starting point.

In this blog you’ll learn:

• What a construction sustainability statement needs to demonstrate
• How to gather the right information before work starts
• Why involving both developer and architect matters
• How to keep the statement genuinely collaborative rather than a box-ticking exercise
• How to write for both technical and non-technical readers

For a broader introduction to what a Sustainability Statement is and when you need one, see our full explainer.

What Is a Sustainability Statement?

In essence, a sustainability statement is an in-depth, analytical document written to show how a planned development addresses the core sustainability policies set by the presiding Local Authority.

Producing a well-written statement is a crucial part of the planning process for a construction scheme. It also increasingly plays a vital role in securing approval for the development.

What Does Best Practice Look Like on a Construction Project?

Gather all information upfront

Our first challenge is ensuring we receive all the information necessary to start the work. We’re often approached by prospective clients before they have every detail to hand – they understand the need for a sustainability statement but can’t yet provide everything we need to get started.

Before any work can begin, we need to receive:

• Site address
• Site plan
• Architectural plans: floor plans, elevations and sections
• Construction details and selected building materials
• Confirmation of the presiding local authority
• Clarity on which version of the Building Regulations applies
• Clear project timeframes

Our team has been tempted in the past to start desk research before receiving the full list above. We’ve since learned that’s an inefficient way to approach these projects, and we talk clients through the rationale for each requirement rather than working around the gaps.

Identify key stakeholders

We’re normally approached by either the site developer or the project architect, but it’s useful to have communication with both. While a developer holds strategic oversight of the entire project, the architect is primarily concerned with specific construction details and the context behind their decision-making. It’s important for us to understand the project from both viewpoints to produce the highest-quality statement.

This conversation often comes up around the choice of heating system or selected building materials, where the most sustainable solution isn’t always the most obvious one. Our team flags anything that could affect the project later, and suggests how it might be resolved.

Take a collaborative approach

The most effective sustainability statements we produce are the product of collaboration between the client and our sustainability team.

A good example: our first draft for a large development appeared fairly standard – it seemed to merely comply with local authority guidelines rather than exceed them, and our client was initially disappointed with the report. Through a series of conversations, they explained how much further they’d actually gone to ensure the development’s future sustainability. With that additional information on heating design and building materials, we updated the report to more accurately reflect their commitment to net zero building principles.

We encourage clients to ask questions and seek revisions until the most sustainable outcome has been reached – it helps us improve future reports and results in a higher rate of planning approvals granted.

Consider different audiences

Non-technical readers use this document alongside planning specialists, so the language needs to work for both. Write out acronyms and abbreviations in full the first time they’re used. Consider including a glossary of terms as an appendix. Err on the side of caution, and don’t assume a high level of familiarity with planning processes or Building Regulations.

We found that having a new member of staff proofread and sense-check our sustainability statements for a week picked up a number of points that needed clarifying.

What’s Next?

We’re constantly iterating our approach to sustainability statements for construction projects, refining what best practice looks like as regulations and expectations evolve. If you’d like to discuss energy modelling, building sustainability or planning strategy for a construction project, let’s talk.

Service

Sustainability Statements & Energy Strategy

View Service

We prepare sustainability statements for construction projects of every scale, from single builds to large-scale developments.