Sustainability in the built environment has long been framed as a technical challenge—optimising energy efficiency, using lower-carbon materials, and designing smarter buildings. But as Marc Seligmann, Head of Sustainability at Maccreanor Lavington, pointed out in his conversation on The Responsible Edge podcast, the real challenge isn’t just how we build—it’s how we live.

While technological advancements have given us the tools to construct low-carbon buildings, the industry is still grappling with deeply ingrained social expectations that promote high-carbon lifestyles. If sustainability is going to work at scale, Marc argues, we need to change not just construction practices but the way people think about homes, cities, and transport.