Sustainability initiatives in the news
From climate leadership and circular economy innovation to workforce inclusion and community partnerships, CIF members continue to demonstrate measurable ESG progress across the sector.
Recent LinkedIn updates highlight practical action on decarbonisation, biodiversity, skills development, wellbeing and social impact.
Built for Better: ESG round-up:
- 🌱 Decarbonisation, energy and low-carbon construction
- 🦺 Health, safety and wellbeing
- 🤝 Community engagement and social impact
- 🧩 Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility
- 🎓 Education, STEM outreach and future talent
- ♻️ Circular economy, innovation and modern methods of construction
- 🌿 Biodiversity, nature and environmental stewardship
- 🏗️ Infrastructure, public realm and social value projects
- 🏆 Governance, certification, awards and industry recognition
STEM Passport for Inclusion: Building a more inclusive STEM pipeline
The CIF is continuing its support for the STEM Passport for Inclusion (STEMPassport Inc.), an award-winning initiative led by Maynooth University that aims to improve access to STEM education and careers for students from underserved and disadvantaged communities.
Read more about the initiative here.
EPA Consultation: Brownfield soil and stone by-product guidance (PFAS screening tool)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently progressing the development of new guidance for brownfield soil and stone by-product material, including the introduction of a proposed PFAS (“forever chemicals”) screening framework and new pollutant limit values (PLVs) for the reuse of soil and stone under Article 27. The consultation is of significant importance to the construction and housing sectors, particularly in the context of urban regeneration, apartment delivery, major infrastructure projects and circular economy objectives.
Read about the framework here, as well as the CIF’s technical submission on behalf of members broadly supporting the EPA’s objective of improving environmental protection and regulatory clarity, while seeking a more proportionate, risk-based and operationally workable framework before implementation.
Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Awards
The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) is an independently managed initiative that promotes higher standards across the construction industry, with a strong focus on community engagement, environmental responsibility, workforce wellbeing and respectful site management. Through its Code of Considerate Practice, CCS monitors and recognises sites that demonstrate leadership in raising standards and improving the image of construction.
A number of Irish projects and contractors were recognised at the 2026 awards ceremonies, reflecting the continued commitment of the sector to improving standards and delivering positive outcomes for communities and stakeholders. The awards highlight the growing importance of social value, responsible construction practices and ESG leadership within project delivery.
🔗 Click here for more details.
Enva Walshestown Resource Recovery Facility opens
Enva recently officially opened its new Walshestown Resource Recovery Facility in Co. Kildare, representing one of the most significant recent investments in circular economy infrastructure for the Irish construction sector.
The facility, developed in partnership with wet-processing specialist CDE and supported by infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, is designed to recover high-quality recycled sand, soil and aggregate products from construction, demolition and excavation waste streams.
👉 Read more about the facility here.
IGBC launches Home Performance Pathway for SME Homebuilders
Members may wish to note the formal launch of the Home Performance Pathway (HPP) by the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), which took place on 19 March 2026 at the Custom House with the Minister for Housing, James Browne T.D.
The initiative was developed through the support of Construct Innovate and in collaboration with a range of industry and financial stakeholders, including CIF, AIB, Bank of Ireland, Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI), the Irish Home Builders Association (IHBA), and others.
Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration Report
The recently published Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration report sets out a broad vision for how Ireland can meet its obligations under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, with a strong emphasis on long-term investment, restoration of public lands, and support for farmers, fishermen and foresters. The CIF welcomes many of the report’s high-level objectives, particularly the calls to:
- Fund nature restoration,
- Prioritise restoration on public lands, and
- Support farmers, fishermen and foresters through practical incentives and ecosystem service payments.
BIO-NEIGHBOUR report
The Irish Green Building Council (IGBC), in partnership with Trinity College Dublin and supported by The Housing Agency, has published the BIO-NEIGHBOUR report, setting out recommendations to enhance biodiversity in new residential developments across Ireland.
The report comes at a critical time, as Ireland seeks to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2030 while also meeting increasingly ambitious biodiversity and nature restoration obligations under national and EU policy.
🏡 Read more about the report’s key recommendations here.
Public to be asked for input as first Nature Restoration Plan takes shape
The Government has launched the next phase in developing Ireland’s first National Nature Restoration Plan, with a public consultation process due to begin on 2 June 2026. The plan forms part of Ireland’s obligations under the EU Nature Restoration Law and will set out how the State intends to restore degraded ecosystems, habitats and biodiversity over the coming decades. Ireland must submit its draft plan to the European Commission by 1 September 2026, with further dialogue and revisions expected before final approval in 2027.
An Independent Advisory Committee established by Government has been engaging with stakeholders. As implementation discussions progress, stakeholders across multiple sectors are expected to examine how restoration measures can be aligned with housing delivery, infrastructure development and wider land-use priorities. The Government has repeatedly stated that restoration measures on private land will be voluntary and that public lands will play a central role in early delivery.
For the construction sector, the emerging Nature Restoration Plan is likely to influence future planning policy, biodiversity expectations within developments, nature-based solutions, and potentially wider land-use policy discussions. The CIF continues to support proportionate, practical and strategic approaches to biodiversity enhancement that balance environmental objectives with the urgent need to deliver housing and infrastructure.
ReFarm Impact Report 2025
ReFarm’s 2025 Impact Report highlights an innovative Irish initiative that supports farmers in delivering measurable environmental improvements through practical, farmer-led actions. The programme combines private, public and philanthropic funding to invest directly in biodiversity, climate resilience and habitat restoration on farms across Ireland.
✔️ Read about the key highlights and features here.
Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2026-2028
Prepared by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Ireland’s new Whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy 2026–2028sets out a national roadmap to accelerate Ireland’s transition from a traditional “take-make-waste” economy toward a more resource-efficient and resilient model.
The Strategy notes that construction and demolition (C&D) waste remains Ireland’s largest waste stream, accounting for approximately half of all waste generated nationally, with only around 11% currently recycled or reused while approximately 75% is used in backfilling operations. To address this, the Strategy includes actions to support the use of recycled aggregates, modern methods of construction (MMC), material reuse, digital product passports, and whole-life carbon assessment under the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
The Strategy also highlights recent progress, including the introduction of national Article 27 by-product criteria for greenfield soil and stone, Article 28 End-of-Waste criteria for recycled aggregates, and the Waste Recovery Levy reforms designed to encourage higher-value reuse and recycling of construction materials. It further proposes the development of circular economy infrastructure, including local authority circular economy hubs and pilot Circular Economy Demonstration and Outreach Hubs (CEDOHs).
BER Scale Simplification now live: New A0–G rating scale introduced
Ireland’s simplified Building Energy Rating (BER) system is now officially live, representing one of the most significant changes to energy certification in recent years.
☀️ Learn more about the changes here.
CIF City & Guilds Environmental Awareness accreditation
The CIF, through CIF Training, has recently launched a new City & Guilds Assured Environmental Awareness programme aimed at supporting construction professionals in developing a stronger understanding of environmental management and sustainability obligations across the sector.
Core themes include:
- waste and resource management,
- pollution prevention,
- water protection,
- environmental compliance, and
- sustainable site practices.
The course is designed to assist site managers, supervisors, engineers and operational personnel in understanding how environmental considerations increasingly influence project delivery, procurement and overall business reputation. Book your place here.
Supply Chain Sustainability School update
The Supply Chain Sustainability School continues to expand its support for the Irish construction and built environment sector.
Over the past year, the School has welcomed six new partners: Collen Construction, Enterprise Ireland, Enva, GRAHAM Group, Specialist Technical Services (STS Group) and Walls Construction Limited, reflecting continued momentum across the sector for collaborative sustainability action and supply chain capability building.
A significant recent milestone for the Supply Chain Sustainability School is the launch of the Delivering and Measuring Social Value in the Irish Built Environment guide. Developed collaboratively by several of the School’s founding partners, the guide provides practical guidance to help organisations understand, measure and report social value. It explains how inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts fit together, while offering practical indicators, metrics and implementation advice that organisations can adapt to their own context. The guide also encourages businesses to start small, engage their supply chains and build a structured approach to demonstrating social value.
Final words
As ESG expectations continue to evolve, collaboration, innovation and knowledge-sharing across the industry will remain critical. The breadth of initiatives highlighted throughout this newsletter demonstrates the significant work already underway across CIF membership and the growing commitment to delivering a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient built environment.
The CIF ESG Committee will continue to support members through practical guidance, industry engagement and representation on emerging ESG issues. We thank all members who contributed updates and initiatives to this edition and look forward to continuing this shared journey over the months ahead.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
Stay connected,
PJ Ryan, Head of ESG, Construction Industry Federation
