National Federation of Builders Major Contractors Declare Climate Emergency

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) Major Contractors Group (MCG) has thrown its support behind the #ConstructionDeclares movement, the first and currently only trade association representing main contractors to do so.

 

#ConstructionDeclares is a global petition uniting all strands of construction and the built environment. It is both a public declaration of the planet’s environmental crises and a commitment to take positive action in response to climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse. The declaration includes eleven points that the signatories commit to, including pledging to reduce embodied carbon by at least 40% by 2030, based on the World Green Building Council call to action.

 

The Major Contractors Group of the NFB represents main contractors with turnover of £40m+.  Last year, the group published a landmark report entitled ‘Transforming Construction for a Low Carbon Future’ positing that main contractors were uniquely placed to influence clients and their supply chains in delivering a low carbon future. The Group intends to publish a second report later this year which will act as a handbook for main contractors on how to decarbonise their businesses and projects.

 

Commenting, Mark Wakeford, Joint Managing Director of Stepnell Ltd and Chair of the NFB MCG said:

 

“The construction industry directly accounts for 10% of the country’s emissions and influences 47% of all emissions. The structure and nature of our fragmented industry makes rapid and coordinated change difficult but as main contractors we have a uniquely influential position between the client and the supply chain. We’ve taken the step of issuing our declaration on the climate emergency as well as pledging our support for a reduction in embodied carbon. A low carbon future for construction is not just a reality but a necessity and we’re determined to show that contractors can commercially embrace decarbonisation, delivering a profitable service and securing our planet’s future”.

 

The NFB MCG is encouraging all main contractors to sign up to the declaration. To do so, visit: https://uk.buildersdeclare.com/

 

The Group is currently undertaking research into main contractor’s decarbonisation efforts to date which will help form the insight into its future reports. To complete the survey, visit: ow.ly/zo6K50AYeN5

National Federation of Builders

The National Federation of Builders is a United Kingdom trade association representing the interests of small and medium-sized building contractors in England and Wales.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – April 2026

Mixed Rental Trends Emerge Across UK as Regional Price Gaps Widen Scotland recorded one of the strongest monthly increases, with average rents rising from £1,123 to £1,167 (+3.9% month-on-month), reinforcing continued upward pressure in the Scottish rental market. Northern Ireland also saw significant growth, with rents increasing from £887 to £920 (+3.7%), alongside a fall…
Read More
Breaking News

Seller over-expectation still impacting market

Home sellers still overpricing as just two regions see realistic price expectations The latest internal data analysis from House Buyer Bureau has found that just two regions, London and the South East, are currently seeing seller expectations align with market reality, whilst the rest of the country continues to price above market value, contributing to…
Read More
Breaking News

Fledgling homeowners cut costs by taking on fixer-uppers to achieve dream home

66% of first-time buyers bought a cheaper home because it needed DIY or renovation work done Many choosing a ‘fixer-upper’ were able to buy in their preferred location, add value and put their stamp on it DIY almost mandatory among first-time buyers, with 93% completing at least one project since moving in But three quarters…
Read More
Breaking News

House Price Index for April 2026 – Thoughts from the Indutry

The latest Halifax House Price Index for April 2026 shows that: – On a monthly basis, house prices remained largely static, down by just -0.1% between March and April 2026. Annually, house prices were up 0.4%, albeit this rate of annual growth had slowed from 0.8% the previous month. As a result, the average house…
Read More
Breaking News

House prices remained broadly stable in April

• House prices edged down -0.1% in April, following a -0.5% fall in March • Average property price now £299,313, compared with £299,609 in March • Annual growth slowed to +0.4%, from +0.8% in March • Northern Ireland continues to record the strongest annual growth at +7.6%   Amanda Bryden, Head of Mortgages, Halifax, said:…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 7/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   The Hidden Economics of AI Agents: Why Businesses May Spend More Than They Ever Did on SaaS AI agents are rapidly being positioned as the next evolution of enterprise software. The problem is that many companies are still evaluating them through a SaaS lens…
Read More