The pilot version of a cross-industry standard for all major building types to define Net Zero has been released.
The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard is a free-to-access technical standard that will enable the built environment to robustly prove that built assets align with the UK’s carbon and energy budgets. Until this point, there has been no single, agreed methodology for defining what ‘net zero carbon’ means for buildings in the UK.
It was produced by collaboration between BBP, BRE, CIBSE, Carbon Trust, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS and UKGBC who were supported by a huge number of industry volunteers. Those involved have included architects, engineers, carbon assessors, developers, and more. Over 350 experts from across the industry have supported the Technical Steering Group during the standard’s development phase.
Wider stakeholder engagement and feedback through roundtables up and down the country, as well as through public consultation, captured the views of over 700 individuals. The standard’s mandatory requirements for building performance and construction quality are described as ambitious but achievable. They cover a range of topics such as upfront carbon, operational energy use, avoidance of fossil fuel use on site, renewables and refrigerants.
To find out more, there is a launch webinar on 31st October with information on how the standard can be applied. Register here.
Katie Clemence-Jackson, Chair of the Standard’s Technical Steering Group, said:
The standard has been created not just using industry data on what is achievable, but also cross referencing this with ‘top down’ modelling of what is needed to decarbonise our industry in line with 1.5°C aligned carbon and energy budgets. It covers all the major building sectors, as well as both new and existing buildings.
With access to the standard, the built environment industry is equipped to target, design and operate buildings to be net zero carbon aligned, driving the positive change that we need to meet our climate goals. I would like to thank all our volunteers from across the built environment who have contributed their time, experience and knowledge to allow us to develop a robust Standard. This has been an immensely collaborative process, and we couldn’t have achieved it without your support.
David Partridge, Chair of the Standard’s Governance Board, said:
The standard brings together data from thousands of buildings submitted by professionals from across the built environment and will be an important step towards a net zero carbon economy. I encourage everyone within the built environment and real estate sector, from investors, funds and lenders, through developers to building designers, managers and contractors, to start to use the pilot version of the Standard. We will shortly be launching a pilot testing programme to glean feedback on applying the process on real projects.
