Doug’s Sustainable Construction Predictions for 2024

Doug Johnson

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.

Area 1. Integrated Building Performance and Building Services design

Prediction: The construction industry will place a growing focus on the value of integrated sustainable design, allowing overheating, whole life carbon analysis, building services, standardised energy calculations, and architecture to work together more seamlessly to deliver projects on budget and on time.

With more complicated buildings that require substantial analysis to meet various low impact targets, we commonly saw MEP companies coming up short and architects becoming frustrated with having to bear the building sustainability analysis workload last year. Companies that can blend building performance and services design in parallel to architectural specialisms will continue to gain traction in 2024.

Person using a laptop at a table, with another laptop and hands nearby in a meeting setting

Area 2. Whole Life Carbon Assessment

Prediction: Councils across the UK will increasingly adopt whole life carbon (WLC) methodologies as part of their planning application process to prove minimal material carbon impact in developments.

Whilst not yet regulated for, Mesh dealt with a growing number of councils modifying planning policy or adding a WLC assessment of existing buildings as a pre-requisite to planning submission throughout the second half of 2023. This was mainly for replacement dwellings, but with other major planning councils and cities requesting this analysis for all new builds, WLC analysis will continue to become more popular in 2024.

Area 3. Powerful Marketing of Low Energy Buildings

Prediction: Promotion of low or zero energy buildings, which generate as much energy as they consume, will become popular so it will be easier to differentiate them from the rest of the ‘pack’.

As developers and building owners try to figure out how to make money in a tough market, those who truly understand the power of good marketing and can built cost-effective low energy homes that perform well will start to see greater margins, faster sales, and more success in 2024.

Mesh have known for a while that this is something can be delivered, and there are now a few players making a fair go at it (e.g. Octopus Energy). With consumers pocket’s straining and energy costs still high, those that can provide cost effective living are starting to see increased consumer demand and will most likely do well this year.

Modern wooden building on a grassy hill under a blue sky, with a paved walkway leading to the entrance

Area 4. Enhanced Collaboration for Sustainable Development

Prediction: Increased collaboration among stakeholders (architects, builders, developers, policymakers, and communities) will be a key driver of sustainable construction.

This collaboration will involve early-stage planning to ensure sustainable practices are incorporated into the entire project lifecycle, fostering holistic and eco-conscious development. Some of Mesh’s best projects have involved great collaboration and trust between client, architect, specialist consultants, and contractors. More projects are starting to take this collaborative approach, and further increases in collaboration will happen in 2024.

Area 5. Further Success of Knowledge Platforms and Podcasts

Prediction: The UK consumer will start to rapidly seek trustworthy and reputable advice on a range of low energy materials, technologies, and techniques, and sustainable construction will become a ‘must-have’.

Several great podcasts on the low carbon building industry and products have sprung up in the last couple of years, and even our own Meshwork platform grew considerably in 2023 as professionals and specialist look to digest information, case studies, and ideas to help them on their current (or next) project.

These podcasts and platforms will continue to bring great speakers, ideas, and products to the fore, and their followers will continue to grow. Some will wither and some will see explosive growth, but if the internet has taught us anything, it is that the power of outreach is huge and with the right information being shared, this can make a rapid difference in 2024.

Conclusion

So that’s me done, and I shall put my crystal ball down for now! Sadly, none of these predictions are particularly, sexy, cool, ground-breaking, or radical; but they do point to real tangible progress, and I for one look forward to seeing them develop and further the UK’s successful, rapid, and affordable decarbonisation of the built environment.

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Heritage-sensitive Building Services Design for a New Contemporary Art Gallery in Mayfair

15 June 2026

Building performance specialist Mesh has completed a building services design project for a new flagship art gallery in Savile Row – Sadie Coles HQ. The six-storey Grade II listed Georgian townhouse in London’s Mayfair, which dates back to the 1730s, has been fully restored and transformed by lead contractor Work Ltd, to create a unique space for contemporary art. The building, once home to the Burlington Fine Arts Club in the 19th century, had been bomb damaged in World War II and used as offices post-war. It has now been sensitively reinstated as a space for artists to exhibit their work in a part of London which has a long association with contemporary art. The key aim of this extensive refurbishment project was to work to a fast-track programme for the gallery’s opening to coincide with the Frieze Art Fair. Mesh was appointed to develop a holistic MEP building services strategy, from concept through to detailed design, and in keeping with the character and constraints of this heritage building. Enhanced control of the internal environment was required to maintain visitor comfort all year round and in the context of continually fluctuating occupancy levels, including events for up to 200 people. Working within a Grade II listed building required a highly considered approach at every stage – historic architectural features were revealed and restored internally and externally, and extensive structural improvements were required to accommodate art loadings. These factors had to be reflected in the services design and specification. Mesh used dynamic thermal modelling for different scenarios of use to understand the heating and cooling loads required and to allow the services to be accurately sized for each room or gallery. Two priorities were cooling and for each area to be individually controlled according to occupancy levels. Discrete but robust heating and cooling provision was designed for the gallery areas and the MEP services were concealed in void spaces to avoid impacting on the architectural features of the building or the layout of the galleries. Plant and equipment had to be sited in compliance with stringent planning requirements, which limited the number, size, position and visual impact of the external units. Passive measures were introduced to reduce energy consumption and included actuated openable rooflights in a glazed lantern to purge warm air during the day and reduce the reliance on the active cooling system. Giles Reid, Giles Reid Architects: “The new gallery has succeeded in its ambition – to reaffirm that London has an important position in the global art world. This was a complex project which had to be delivered in just nine months from planning approval for the fixed deadline for opening, and despite having to carry out extensive structural alterations. The building is performing well from a services perspective, including at the opening event which was attended by around 800 guests. The M&E design in contemporary art spaces like this must never detract, visually or acoustically, from the art being exhibited and this has been successfully achieved. This is a fantastic statement building which has been acclaimed and the Client is thrilled. It is a credit to everyone involved that this historic building has been brought back into use for contemporary art.” Doug Johnson, Founding Director of Mesh: “This project demonstrates exactly what intelligent building services engineering should deliver – an integrated, high-performance solution to deliver year-round-comfort for visitors and users of the building whilst maintaining a clean aesthetic. Working within a Grade II listed building with complex planning restrictions required genuinely creative engineering rather than a conventional response. We are really proud to have contributed to this outstanding building transformation.” The Project Team: Client: Sadie Coles HQ Lead contractor (design and delivery): Work Ltd Architectural partner: Giles Reid Architects MEP design / building performance: Mesh About Mesh Mesh offers a range of design and engineering services to help organisations in the public and private sectors to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings, housing and estates. This includes support for architects; planning; thermal modelling and overheating analyses; carbon reduction strategies; feasibility studies for renewable technologies; MEP design, and regulatory compliance. Architectural images - Joseph Asghar