Today sees the eagerly anticipated launch of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS) with the official pilot version live from 10:00am today, 24th September.
This free-to-access, cross-industry technical standard has seen leading organisations across the construction industry come together to develop one universal standard which helps define exactly what ‘net zero’ really means for buildings in the UK.
Until this point, there has been no single, agreed methodology for defining what ‘net zero carbon’ is and consequently, the area has been rife with spurious claims around the topic.
The Standard provides a set of consistent limits and requirements to create a level playing field around such claims.
The Standard outlines what is needed to support the UK’s net zero carbon transition
Chris Newman Zero Carbon Design Team Manager
Collaboration and agreement
The Standard has been developed and agreed through collaboration between built environment organisations and industry leaders spanning architects, engineers, carbon assessors, developers, and more. It has the backing of the UK Green Building Council, CIBSE, The Carbon Trust, RICS, RIBA, BRE, IStructE, LETI, and the Better Buildings Partnership.
Over 350 experts from across the industry have supported the Technical Steering Group during the Standard’s development phase. There has also been significant stakeholder engagement and feedback with numerous roundtables up and down the country which, along with public consultation, captured the views of over 700 individuals.
The Standard is designed for anyone who funds, procures, designs, or specifies a net zero carbon building, and for anyone who wishes to definitively demonstrate that their building is net zero carbon aligned.
We are right in the middle of the political conference season and as a robust industry-backed initiative, the Standard should also prove useful to policymakers as it outlines what is needed to support the UK’s net zero carbon transition.
Join the webinar
It’s taken time to bring together everyone across the construction sector and develop the Standard to the level now being launched as a pilot and the next step is to widen the reach and increase awareness.
This is why a webinar on the Standard pilot scheme is being held on 31st October 2024. The event will have limited spaces, so the organisers are encouraging people to organise a webinar screening in their offices so that information is spread as far and wide as possible. This can also help to get colleagues and associates talking about the Standard and understand the methodology behind it.
The UK has legally binding targets to make the country net zero by 2050, so we have to find a collective way to help the country, the people, and the businesses involved get there.
The webinar will look at the metrics being used to evaluate the carbon performance of any building, along with the energy performance limits that need to be met.
Join the programme
The key to the success of this new Standard is for news of it to reach as many built environment professionals as possible in the UK so that we can get them interested in attending the October webinar either in person or online.
In the press release accompanying the pilot launch, 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.”
The Pilot Testing Programme will soon be open for applications, and anyone interested can register their interest on the website.
How many paydays left?
I like to think of net zero in terms of the number of monthly paydays left as I think this helps sharpen the focus when you realise that we have just over 300 left.
That’s just over 300 months left until 2050!
And only 60 or so until the 2030 milestone.
We are in grave danger of running out of time to fix a lot of the climate crisis and there are now very, very few who refuse to see what an impact we are having on our planet.
It’s therefore up to all of us to come together if we are to achieve net zero and have any chance of reversing the devastating effects that our current way of life is having on our planet.
All roads lead to net zero and whoever you are and wherever you are, we are all on the same journey.
Whether a global corporation, a local business, a ‘one-man’ band, or a mere individual, everyone has a role to play regardless of the fact that everyone is at a different stage of the journey.
Remember, there is no need for anyone to undertake this journey alone and, for anyone involved in the built environment, there is now a unified Standard to help.
And if you’d like to know more about the Standard, visit their website.
If you would like to know more about how we can help you decarbonise your building, then get in touch.
Chris Newman is Zero Carbon Design Team Manager
