New research from Jewson suggests more than half (54%) of builders and tradespeople are winning more work by offering services linked to sustainability.
The data, which forms part of Jewson’s annual Trade Trends report, shows that sustainable building has grown from being a niche market into a mainstream business driver as more homeowners look for sustainable solutions.
Matching this growing demand with the right level of knowledge and insight is a key challenge, and the report from the UK’s leading builders’ merchant shows investing in training remains a priority.
Three in five builders and tradespeople say they plan to start or continue sustainability training, with the key motivating factors being keeping up with the times (67%), because it is good for the environment (47%) and because it will help them win more work (37%).
Sabrina Passley, Head of Sustainability for Stark UK, Jewson’s parent company, said: “As the construction industry moves toward a low-carbon future, there’s a growing opportunity – and responsibility – for tradespeople to upskill in sustainable building practices.
“We’re proud to play a key role in supporting this shift across the UK in various ways. For example, our dedicated Sustainability Centres in Norwich and Luton are designed to offer customers advice and inspiration on low carbon alternatives and sustainable solutions.
"Each centre has a Sustainability Ambassador on hand to give specialist advice and guidance on our Building for the Future, low-carbon, sustainable product range, which features 1,500 sustainable products across 50 ranges from 34 suppliers. Spanning every stage of a build – from foundation to finish – the range includes solutions with lower embodied carbon, increased recycled content, water-saving features, energy performance benefits, biodiversity gains and more.”
While being able to speak to existing homeowners and support them with sustainable solutions remains key, government regulation impacting those working on new homes is also shaping the future of the industry. Some details of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) have been released, however its official roll out is still subject to delays.
The FHS is designed to ensure that newbuild homes in England will produce 75%-80% fewer carbon emissions than those built under current regulations. It also includes targets around Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for new developments to protect and enhance the natural environment.
Awareness of the FHS is growing among builders and skilled tradespeople, with almost a third (32%) aware of its introduction, up from less than a quarter last year. However, concerns remain about the challenges it may present. There’s been a big jump in the number of people worried about more paperwork and admin (up from 14% in 2024, to 34% in 2025), with the same proportion of respondents saying it’ll lead to increased business costs.
Passley added: “It is encouraging to see that there is a growing awareness around the Future Homes Standard, however it seems that for many it still feels distant or unclear in its impact. The data in our report highlights a sentiment that tradespeople understand a change is coming, but they’re unsure how to navigate it. Our role is to help bridge that gap, by making compliance simpler, offering practical product solutions, and supporting upskilling through our Sustainability Centres, expert advice in-branch and supplier training.”
