How Sterling Is Revolutionising the Construction Industry

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Construction projects today face unprecedented pressure to be both cost-effective and sustainable. However, outdated tools, fragmented processes, and manual estimations often stand in the way. Sterling is changing that narrative by introducing a smart, fully integrated SaaS platform that reshapes how cost and carbon are estimated, managed, and optimised across the project lifecycle.

The Risks of Poor Cost and Carbon Accounting

Failing to accurately track both cost and carbon can lead to serious consequences, financially, legally, and reputationally. Projects without robust estimating systems often suffer from budget blowouts and missed delivery deadlines, eroding client trust and profitability. In parallel, as sustainability regulations tighten globally, inadequate carbon tracking can expose firms to non-compliance penalties, disqualification from green funding, and even legal action. Worse still, carbon-intensive projects risk reputational damage in a market where ESG performance is increasingly scrutinised by investors and stakeholders. Inaccurate or incomplete data also undermines strategic decision-making, leaving firms blind to long-term operational inefficiencies and environmental costs.

Case Studies

HS2 (High Speed 2) – England

Issue: Massive budget escalation and sustainability scrutiny

Details: Initially estimated at £33 billion, HS2’s projected cost has soared to over £100 billion. In addition to financial overruns, the project has faced criticism over its carbon footprint, with environmental groups challenging its net-zero claims.

Impact: Phases of the project have been delayed or cancelled; it has become a symbol of poor public project management.

Lesson: Weak early-stage cost forecasting and insufficient carbon lifecycle modelling led to political backlash and loss of public trust.

Sellafield Nuclear Decommissioning Projects

Issue: Billions lost in overruns and inefficiencies

Details: Numerous nuclear decommissioning projects at Sellafield have been criticised by the UK’s National Audit Office for poor cost control, with some projects exceeding budgets by over 100% and delays stretching over a decade.

Impact: Billions in public funding wasted and ongoing environmental risks due to delays in safe decommissioning.

Lesson: Projects involving carbon-intensive assets require precise lifecycle carbon and cost management from day one — not retrofitted.

Edinburgh Trams Project (Scotland)

Issue: Budget overrun and project delays

Details: Originally estimated at £375 million, the Edinburgh Trams project ultimately cost around £776 million, more than double the initial estimate. Key issues included inadequate planning, poor stakeholder coordination, and underestimated costs.

Impact: The project suffered public backlash, a formal inquiry, and significant reputational damage to those involved.

Lesson: Robust, early-stage cost forecasting and better collaboration tools could have mitigated the overruns.

Sydney Light Rail (Australia)

Issue: Cost blowout and legal disputes

Details:This project was initially budgeted at AU$1.6 billion, but ballooned to AU$3.1 billion due to contract disputes, underestimated utility relocation costs, and poor risk forecasting.

Impact: Delays of more than a year, contractor lawsuits totalling AU$1.2 billion, and major political fallout.

Lesson: A lack of integrated cost and carbon risk planning led to financial exposure and credibility loss for Transport for NSW.

General ESG Failures in Construction Sector

According to CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), companies that fail to disclose environmental data are 40% more likely to face increased costs of capital. This shows how poor carbon accounting directly impacts financial risk, especially as ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) metrics become standard in procurement and investment.

The 5 Biggest Challenges in Cost & Carbon Estimating — and Why They Matter

1. Inaccurate Estimations

   
   

   • According to McKinsey, 98% of megaprojects face cost overruns, often by more than 30%.

   • These inaccuracies stem from manual processes, siloed tools, and lack of real-time data integration.

     
     

2. Carbon Blindspots

   
   

   • The World Green Building Council reports that buildings are responsible for 39% of global carbon emissions.

   • Yet, many projects still don’t incorporate carbon metrics into their decision-making from the outset.

   
   

3. Siloed Workflows

   
   

   • A study by PlanGrid and FMI found that 35% of construction professionals spend over 14 hours per week on non-productive activities due to poor data management.

   • Disconnected systems make collaboration inefficient and error-prone.

   
   

4. Limited Lifecycle Visibility

   
   

   • Traditional estimating tools typically only focus on the capital phase, ignoring operational and end-of-life impacts, leading to unsustainable long-term costs and emissions.

   
   

5. Inflexible Reporting and Forecasting

   
   

   • Without predictive insights, project teams struggle to adapt to change, increasing the risk of delays and missed budget or carbon targets.

Sterling’s Integrated Solution: Precision, Visibility, and Sustainability

Sterling addresses all five of these critical challenges with a single, unified platform designed specifically for construction professionals. Here’s how:

1. Accurate, Real-Time Cost & Carbon Estimating

Sterling combines labour, plant, materials, and subcontractor data into one cost model—while simultaneously tracking the associated carbon impact. Their Smart Builder tool offers drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to build detailed estimates using standard or custom breakdown structures .

2. Seamless 2D & 3D Take-Off

With full support for both 2D drawings and 3D BIM models, Sterling eliminates guesswork. It uses intelligent detection to automate quantity take-offs, dramatically improving speed and accuracy, while linking directly to cost and carbon models .

3. Bid Package Management with Sustainability Built-In

Sterling allows you to issue, manage, and compare bids not only by cost but also by carbon footprint. This empowers contractors to make environmentally responsible decisions from day one .

4. Forecasting with Proactive Risk Management

Sterling’s forecasting module uses real-time project data to predict future cost and carbon trends. This gives project leaders the foresight needed to act before issues arise—helping ensure targets are met .

5. Lifecycle Tracking for Long-Term Impact

Sterling tracks cost and carbon across every phase—from capital to end-of-life—aligned with industry standards like RICS NRM3 and CROME. This empowers teams to make sustainable decisions over the full asset lifecycle .

The Bottom Line

Sterling is not just another tool. It’s a transformation engine for the construction sector, combining the speed of automation with the depth of lifecycle insight. By unifying cost and carbon data in one intuitive platform, Sterling empowers project teams to stay on budget, meet sustainability goals, and make decisions with confidence.

Whether you’re a quantity surveyor, project manager, or estimator, Sterling delivers the tools to future-proof your projects. The era of disjointed spreadsheets and siloed software is over. The future of intelligent, sustainable construction starts here.