Created through a collaboration of industry leaders and environmental organizations, the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard Pilot has just been released, standardizing the way residents of the United Kingdom will create net zero buildings, both residential and commercial.
Up until now, there hasn’t been a single methodology that’s been agreed upon for defining what net zero carbon means in terms of buildings in the UK. Due to this, there have been various dubious claims from builders, claiming that their buildings are net zero, when this may not have actually been the case.
With this Standard, builders and homeowners now have a consistent set of rules to ensure that buildings marketed as net zero actually are net zero. The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard is designed for anybody who wants to design, fund, procure or specify a net zero carbon building, and for anybody who wants to demonstrate a building is net zero carbon without a shadow of a doubt.
This is a strong industry-backed initiative, and it’s also very useful to UK policymakers, because it outlines what is required to support the United Kingdom’s net zero carbon transition. This Standard is ambitious, but achievable. The criteria cover numerous points, such as operational energy use, avoidance of fossil fuels, upfront carbon and renewables.
The pilot contains concise technical details on exactly how a building should meet the Standard, including the targets and limits, as well as the technical evidence required to demonstrate that a building is in fact net zero carbon.
Over 350 experts from across various industries have come together to develop this industry Standard. BBP, BRE, the Carbon Trust, CIBSE, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS, and UKGBC are the organizations that have taken part in this initiative.
“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 decarbonize our industry in line with 1.5°C aligned carbon and energy budgets,” said Katie Clemence-Jackson, the Chair of the Standard’s Technical Steering Group. “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.”
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