What is Net Zero Carbon?
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
In construction, ‘net zero carbon’ means that carbon emissions associated with a building, product and so on are zero, or even negative. It does not necessarily relate to emissions of carbon dioxide only. The impact of other greenhouse gases (such as methane) is measured as a carbon equivalent, so ‘carbon emissions’ can refer to all greenhouse gases.
The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) defines net zero in construction as, “When the amount of carbon emissions associated with a building's embodied and operational impacts over the life of the building, including its disposal, are zero or negative.” This is ‘whole life’ net zero carbon, but there are alternative definitions.
[edit] Different types of carbon emissions
Whole life carbon as defined by the UKGBC comprises two different types of carbon: operational carbon and embodied carbon:
- Operational carbon, as the name suggests, is the carbon emissions that result from the building’s use. This includes regulated emissions, which are controlled by the Building Regulations and are associated with, among other things, a building’s heating and hot water systems. It also includes unregulated emissions, which result from the activities of the building users. Unregulated emissions are not accounted for in compliance calculations.
- Embodied carbon includes emissions due to the production and transport of building materials, the processes on site during construction, and the way in which components are reused, recycled, or demolished at the end of a building’s life.
[edit] How do I define net zero carbon for my construction project?
For a given construction project, ‘net zero carbon’ could mean the reduction of any of these types of emissions to zero.
For some buildings, it might only be viable to address regulated emissions. On other projects it might be possible or desirable to look at whole life carbon, addressing emissions across the building’s complete lifecycle.
The key is to establish what net zero carbon means for the specific project from the earliest possible stage of the process. If the definition is made and understood during the preliminary design stages, it can inform all the decisions that come after and save time and money.
The alternative is to set the definition at a later stage and then overhaul the design and specification because net zero carbon was never accounted for in the first place.
For more information see: Net Zero.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Achieving net zero in social housing.
- Actuate UK issues climate warning and urges action.
- Aligning net zero with the levelling-up agenda.
- A zero-carbon UK by 2050?
- Carbon footprint.
- Carbon negative.
- Carbon neutral.
- Climate Change Act.
- Construction skills crisis threatens UK net zero goals.
- CO2nstruct Zero programme grows to over 70 businesses.
- Fabric first investigation into net zero for existing buildings.
- Half of public sector bodies not planning for net zero carbon.
- Heat pumps and heat waves: How overheating complicates ending gas in the UK.
- Infrastructure carbon reduction misses net-zero target.
- Low or zero carbon technologies.
- Making Mission Possible: report on achieving a zero-carbon economy by 2030.
- Nearly zero-energy building.
- Net zero.
- Net Zero All Party Parliamentary Group NZ APPG.
- Net zero by 2050.
- Net zero (whole life) carbon.
- Net zero carbon building.
- Net zero carbon emissions.
- Net zero strategy: build back greener.
- Planning the infrastructure transition to net-zero.
- Scotland publishes plans to reach net zero targets with Heat in Buildings Strategy.
- Skilled workforce unable to meet net zero ambitions.
- Smoothing the path to net zero.
- Thermal imaging of the building fabric in the net zero world.
- Transform to Net Zero.
Featured articles and news
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.
BSRIA Occupant Wellbeing survey BOW
Occupant satisfaction and wellbeing tool inc. physical environment, indoor facilities, functionality and accessibility.