UK Green Building Council presents industry framework for net zero carbon buildings

The report follows six months of intense industry engagement, involving over 180 experts and stakeholders from across the built environment value chain, and is supported by 13 trade associations and industry bodies including BPF, RICS and RIBA. It provides an overarching framework of consistent principles and metrics that can be integrated into tools, policies and practices, and aims to build consensus in the industry on the approach to decarbonising buildings.

The new framework offers guidance for developers, owners and occupiers targeting net zero carbon buildings, setting out key principles to follow and outlining how such a claim should be measured and evidenced. Two approaches to net zero carbon are proposed by the framework which can be accurately measured today:

• Net zero carbon – construction: the embodied emissions associated with products and construction should be measured, reduced and offset to achieve net zero carbon.
• Net zero carbon – operational energy: The energy used by the building in operation should be reduced and where possible any demand met through renewable energy. Any remaining emissions from operational energy use should be offset to achieve net zero carbon.

With today’s report presented as a starting point, the next ten years will see the scope and ambition of the framework increased to encourage greater action. In the short-term, additional requirements will be introduced to challenge the industry, including minimum energy efficiency targets and limits on the use of offsets. In the longer term, the two approaches for construction and operational energy will be integrated into a broader approach for net zero whole life carbon, covering all of the emissions associated with the construction, operation, maintenance and demolition of a building.

The work has been made possible thanks to the generous support of lead partner Redevco Foundation, and partners BAM, Berkeley Group, Grosvenor, JLL and Hoare Lea.

Richard Twinn, Senior Policy Advisor at UKGBC said: ‘The urgency of tackling climate change means that businesses must work together to drive down emissions as fast as possible. But this requires a shared vision for what needs to be achieved and the action that needs to be taken. This framework is intended as a catalyst for the construction and property industry to build consensus on the transition to net zero carbon buildings and start to work towards consistent and ambitious outcomes. It is the first step on a journey towards ensuring all of our buildings are fit for the future.’

Clemens Brenninkmeijer, Board Member at the Redevco Foundation said: ‘The Redevco Foundation supports initiatives that aim to increase the understanding of and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, low carbon and circular built environment. The call to action can only gain traction when the sector collectively knows where it needs to go and how to get there. The cross-sector and inclusive approach of UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero programme is helping the industry to frame the challenges ahead and provides it with a clear definition and pathway to a net zero carbon built environment.’

James Wimpenny, Chief Executive at BAM Construct UK said: ‘Contractors, clients, supply chains need to work together – and quickly – to radically change the way we procure, design and deliver buildings. Smart use of renewable technologies and efficient use of low carbon materials are a priority. Reducing carbon makes financial sense over the lifecycle of buildings and that means we should not focus solely on capital costs when procuring a building.’

Rob Perrins, Chief Executive at Berkeley Group said: ‘This framework is an important step towards defining net zero carbon buildings and helping the industry understand how they can be delivered. We want to help lead this work, which is so important to decarbonising the built environment and protecting our planet for future generations. Sustainability runs through everything we do at Berkeley Group. We have already become a carbon positive business and have committed to creating new homes that can operate at net zero carbon by 2030.’

Emily Hamilton, Senior Sustainability Manager at Grosvenor Britain & Ireland said: ‘Our climate is in crisis. As a major consumer of resources and with a significant carbon footprint, the UK’s built environment industry has a far reaching role to play in helping to limit the worsening impacts of climate change. This framework is an important first step to enable the industry to rapidly accelerate the transition to a net zero carbon economy. We believe collaboration is fundamental if we are to rapidly deliver a net zero carbon future and we commit to adopting this framework to upskill our staff and our partners.’

Ashley Bateson, Partner at Hoare Lea said: ‘We are proud to be a sponsor of the Advancing Net Zero programme. At Hoare Lea we feel it’s crucial that the property sector has an agreed framework for defining net zero carbon development. This gives industry a clear basis for reducing carbon emissions from the built environment towards zero in the near future. The environmental imperative for targeting ‘net zero’ is now loud and clear.’

Sophie Walker, Head of Sustainability at JLL UK said: ‘We must advance net zero carbon in the built environment at an extraordinary pace, driving transformation never seen before in our sector.’

‘Net Zero Carbon Buildings: A framework definition’ is available to download here.

The programme is supported by Lead Partner the Redevco Foundation and Programme Partners BAM Construct UK, Berkeley Group, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, Hoare Lea and JLL.

The net zero carbon buildings task group was supported by the following trade associations, professional institutions and non-profit organisations:

• Better Buildings Partnership (BBP)
• British Property Federation (BPF)
• Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA)
• Chartered Institute for Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
• Good Homes Alliance
• London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI)
• Passivhaus Trust
• Renewable Energy Association (REA)
• Revo
• Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• Sustainable Energy Association (SEA)
• Solar Trade Association (STA)

The task group included representatives from the following organisations:

• Acclaro Advisory
• AECOM
• Allies and Morrison
• Arup
• Atelier Ten
• BAM Construct UK
• Berkeley Group
• Bioregional
• BRE
• BuroHappold Engineering
• Carbon Credentials Energy Services
• Cundall
• Currie & Brown
• Derwent London
• EcoEnergy Insights, UTC
• Elementa
• Greengage Environmental
• Grosvenor Britain & Ireland
• Haringey Council
• Hawkins Brown Architects
• Hoare Lea
• Hodkinson Consultancy
• HTA Design LLP
• JLL Ltd
• Kingspan Insulation Ltd
• Landsec
• Lendlease
• Max Fordham LLP
• Redevco
• Skanska
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
• Targeting Zero LLP
• The Carbon Trust
• Turley
• Twinn Sustainability Innovation
• Verco
• Willmott Dixon