Consultation Paper Published for Net Zero Carbon Buildings Definition

A CONSULTATION PAPER inviting feedback on a proposed definition for net zero carbon buildings in the UK has been published today by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC).

The consultation sets out the initial proposals from the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Task Group which is developing a framework definition in line with the ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Net Zero Carbon Task Group

The Task Group is made up of representatives from 37 businesses across the built environment value chain and is supported by 13 industry trade associations, professional institutions and non-profit organisations. It aims to build a consensus within the construction and property industry about the outcomes needed to achieve net zero carbon buildings, provide a consistent approach for building design and management, and inform the future development of voluntary initiatives and local and national policy.

The Task Group is being facilitated by UKGBC as part of its Advancing Net Zero programme, which is aiming to drive the transition to a net zero carbon built environment.

UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero programme forms part of a global campaign led by the World Green Building Council which is calling for all buildings to be net zero carbon by 2050, and all new buildings to achieve this by 2030. Globally, leading businesses and regional authorities are already committing to spearheading this transition.

Task Group Support

The Net Zero Carbon Buildings Task Group is being supported by the following:

• 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)

Task Group Representatives

The task group includes 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

Feedback is being sought from businesses and stakeholders throughout the construction and property industry. The consultation paper is available on the UKGBC website and responses can be submitted online. Stakeholder workshops are also being hosted in Manchester on Tuesday 12 February and London on Tuesday 19 February to gather further feedback. The deadline for responses to the consultation is Friday 1 March 2019.

>> Read more about net zero in the news