The built environment sector is responsible for 37% of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide, more than the entire transportation sector, making the transition to net-zero buildings a crucial response to climate change. The absence of a clear, universal definition for net-zero buildings and a lack of national policies continue to hinder progress and discourage private sector investment in building transformation.
To address these challenges, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in collaboration with Arup and leading property sector practitioners, have published a report which provides a blueprint for large-scale transition to net-zero buildings.
The report titled ‘Achieving net-zero buildings: An action plan for market transformation’ outlines a 12-step action plan to move the market towards delivering net-zero buildings at the scale and pace required to meet global climate targets.
The report is intended for the full built environment value chain: business, national and regional policymakers, NGOs, industry bodies, the property sector, and academia. The 12-step action plan is intended to apply to corporations as well as inform regional and national policy.
Highlights of the report
The report calls for a fundamental shift from compliance-based regulatory frameworks — which only focus on influencing the design and construction of buildings — to performance-based standards, which aim to reduce the operational energy consumption of buildings in use, as well as their design and construction.
Key recommendations for achieving net-zero buildings:
- Definition: Establishing a consistent understanding of what constitutes a net-zero building.
- Transparency: Ensuring that building performance is clearly communicated, whether through voluntary disclosure or regulatory policies, to demonstrate alignment with net-zero emissions thresholds.
- Performance floor: Implementing mandatory minimum operational energy performance requirements to drive change across the market.
- Incentives: Aligning certifications and incentives around a consistent definition of net-zero in order to enhance the financial and market value of net-zero buildings, encouraging widespread adoption.
Accompanying the action plan are 16 case studies from around the world, highlighting practical pathways for achieving net-zero emissions across various building types and sectors.
Roland Hunziker, Director Built Environment at WBCSD, said: “We can change what we expect from buildings, and net-zero needs to become the expectation. Based on examples from around the world, we illustrate the practical actions that organizations and regulators can take to incentivize the achievement of truly net-zero buildings.”
Stephen Hill, Associate Director, Arup, said: “We need net zero buildings to rapidly move from a novelty to the norm. We are on the cusp of a large-scale transition, but property owners and developers are held back by a lack of understanding about what makes a net zero building in reality. This new report shows how to unlock the change that is desperately needed across the entire supply chain if we are to hit global emissions targets.”