Plan for net zero buildings standard launches call for evidence

Built environment firms are being asked to submit operational energy data from their most efficient schemes to help devise an agreed standard for what constitutes a net zero building.

A cross-industry team that includes the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the UK Green Building Council and the Royal Institute of British Architects has launched a call for evidence for the initiative.

First announced in May, the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (NZCBS) will provide a single agreed definition and methodology for the industry for verifying buildings as net zero.

The team, which also includes the Building Research Establishment and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, has established its governance and delivery teams and is now asking firms to submit data to an online database.

Operational energy data from the best performing buildings and modelled consumption data for schemes in design or construction is being sought. This is to enable an understanding of what today’s benchmark for energy performance is and what current and future best practice might look like.

The NZCBS team also wants embodied carbon data from both new construction and retrofit projects to feed into the development of benchmarks for emissions during construction of different types of buildings across the UK.

Participants have until 16 December to make submissions. Both sets of data will support the development of the standard over the coming months.

David Partridge, chairman of Related Argent and chair of the NZCBS governance board called for built environment professionals from across the industry to contribute data.

“If the real estate industry and built environment is to seriously address its impact on climate change, a universally adopted Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard is absolutely essential,” he said.

Clara Baegnal George, chair of the NZCBS technical steering group said the project will provide much needed clarity on how to verify buildings as net zero in the UK.

The technical steering group will host a webinar on 17 November to provide a general update on the development of the standard and will take part in a question and answer session.

The launch of the call for evidence comes as world leaders prepare to fly to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for this year’s United Nations COP27 climate summit.

At last year’s summit in Glasgow, the UKGBC published the Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, a guide for the built environment detailing what actions must be taken by the government and the industry to achieve zero carbon emissions across the sector.