We have seen a significant amount of movement and discussion around the net zero agenda in recent months. Developers and property owners are waking up to the challenge ahead and making commitments to ensure their projects lead the way towards achieving net zero carbon on construction and in operation.
Central to this discussion around the progress the big developers have made are the two main net zero commitments affecting the UK construction industry – the Better Buildings Partnership’s (BBP) climate change commitment and the World Green Building Council’s (WGBC) net zero carbon buildings commitment. Together these commitments set the minimum standard for developers who are serious about achieving net zero carbon.
Simon Wyatt looks at the challenge for construction, while
Thomas Lane considers the future of whole life carbon assessments
As the coronavirus threat finally starts to recede, the approach of COP26 should come to dominate the conversation in 2021. As it does so, we need to consider what that means for the built environment.
Postponed from November 2020 because of the global pandemic, and due to take place in Glasgow between 1 and 12 November, the delay has given the industry more time to prepare. Which is just as well, because we needed it.
A year ago, when we were still blissfully unaware of the chaos that the next 12 months would bring, there was almost no conversation around COP26 emanating from the industry. Interest in net zero carbon solutions was starting to grow, but it had not yet reached the fever pitch in demand that we are starting to experience.
Karl Tomusk
The UK Green Building Council has published “vital” guidance on ensuring that net-zero buildings and organisations in the UK are truly sustainable, setting out principles around high-quality renewable energy procurement and carbon offsets.
The guidance seeks to ensure that organisations and buildings make credible net-zero claims and avoid “greenwashing” – giving the impression of being environmentally conscious without making a meaningful difference.
Renewable energy is among the key themes in the report, which argues that the procurement of green energy in the UK has a limited impact and, in some cases, no impact at all on emissions reductions for the organisation or for the country.
Globally, real estate firms could rack up $2.5trn of additional costs in the future unless they accelerate action to decarbonise buildings and to boost climate adaptation and resilience this decade.
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Date: 27 May 2021