Ireland
UK
Scotland
London
BAM UK & Ireland has joined forces with the Eden Project in a new collaboration designed to put nature recovery at the centre of construction.
The partnership, the first of its kind for both organisations, aims to set a new standard for how the built environment can actively support biodiversity and wellbeing.
The three-year collaboration focuses on embedding nature into every stage of BAM's work – from design and delivery to long-term management. Together, BAM and the Eden Project will work to shift industry mindsets, challenge barriers to nature-based design, and lead by example through practical, measurable action.
Initially, BAM will focus on projects that deliver the greatest health, wellbeing, and biodiversity outcomes. This includes health and education developments, as well as improvements across BAM's own offices, depots and sites. The approach will see healing gardens, outdoor learning spaces and biodiverse community areas integrated into project design. On BAM's own estate, new green spaces will offer nature-rich areas for employees, improving daily working environments and wellbeing.
John Wilkinson, COO of BAM UK & Ireland, said: "Since the early 1970s, animal populations have declined by 73%* and our industry has played a role in that devastation - but we now stand at the edge of a precipice. We can either accept that human activity has caused this destruction and work together to address it or we can ignore it and watch as nature loss inevitably results in damage to human civilisation. We've chosen to take a stand, and to do it alongside the Eden Project, to inspire and embed change across the built environment."
Andy Jasper, CEO of Eden Project, added: "Nature is not a luxury - it's the foundation of our wellbeing, our communities, and our future. We are excited to be collaborating with BAM, we have the opportunity to reimagine construction as a driver of ecological recovery and to prove that every space we build can also be a space for life."
Research carried out by YouGov for BAM in 2024 shows that 84% of large UK businesses recognise the importance of nature recovery. However, only a third currently have a biodiversity plan in place, with limited resources and staff engagement identified as the main barriers to progress.
Through its Biodiversity+ strategy, BAM is already contributing to the global Nature Positive agenda – aiming to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and achieve full recovery by 2050.
Today, 95% of BAM's construction projects include wildlife structures, while 63% of its infrastructure projects apply Biodiversity Net Gain principles, often exceeding legal requirements. Flagship examples include the Cross Tay Link Road Green Bridge and the Thames Tideway Bug Hotel, both showcasing how infrastructure and ecology can thrive together.
