Advancing Net Zero - a global project of the World Green Building Council

The World Green Building Council and the GBCs participating in the Advancing Net Zero project are dedicated to supporting market transformation towards total sector decarbonisation. Our ‘Whole Life Carbon Vision’ set out our framework for achieving this visions, including key target dates, definitions for net zero operational and net zero embodied carbon buildings, and the key principles to ensure best practice in achieving these targets. [See https://www.worldgbc.org/advancing-net-zero/whole-life-carbon-vision] WorldGBC recognises that in most situations, net zero energy buildings, i.e. buildings that generate 100% of their energy needs on-site, are not feasible, and that net zero embodied carbon should be pursued as part of a whole lifecycle approach to carbon reduction that includes net zero operational carbon. Therefore a net zero carbon vision that acknowledges the time value of carbon emissions from materials and construction, as well as recognising the role of offsets in facilitating the transition, is more appropriate for the mass scale required to achieve the urgent and significant carbon emission reductions necessary to align with IPCC guidance. We believe that this enormous challenge will be achieved through radical cross-sector collaboration, and our Green Building Councils are leading the way. Advancing Net Zero is a long-term project of WorldGBC. Successes from the global project in 2020 include: Raising global performance standards: By focusing on operational performance, embodied carbon, and the importance of data disclosure, we can increase carbon budget transparency. Using the whole life carbon vision and framework, Green Building Councils are developing programmes to promote and deliver buildings that mitigate climate risk, increase industry capacity through training and education, and verify performance with net zero certification schemes. This ensures a flexible approach that can be tailored to solutions across different climates, cultures, and technical feasibility. #ActOnClimate: Our biggest and boldest World Green Building Week campaign ever galvanises more action than ever before to promote net zero buildings, with 300 events across 43 countries in the last week of September 2020. The Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment: Signatories to WorldGBC's Commitment to Net Zero Carbon Buildings more than doubles in a year, reaching 128 signatories. Building to COP26: We facilitated a buildings stream in the UN’s Race to Zero November Dialogues 2020 and advocated for a Built Environment Day at the next United Nations Climate Change Conference. Regional and national programmes are overcoming market-specific challenges. BUILD UPON2: Led by a group of GBCs in WorldGBC’s Europe network, BUILD UPON2 develops solutions to scale up energy-efficient building renovation. Cities Climate Action project: 12 cities and states across Latin America are creating policy pathways towards energy efficiency and net zero carbon buildings with the support of the GBCs. Advancing Net Zero in Asia Pacific: GBCs are increasing awareness of the opportunities to address carbon emissions, which we highlighted in the Asia Pacific Embodied Carbon Primer. National roadmaps: Ten European GBCs are delivering national roadmaps for whole life decarbonisation of the built environment through the #BuildingLife campaign. Driving Change: UKGBC released a study on the cost of delivering net zero buildings; Canada GBC released a report into the opportunities for industry upskilling; Green Building Council Australia now requires all six-star rated buildings to be net zero. See more Advancing Net Zero action from GBCs and industry in the 2020 Status Report: https://www.worldgbc.org/advancing-net-zero-status-report-2020 For more information and to get involved please reach out to Victoria Burrows, Director of Advancing Net Zero, at vburrows@worldgbc.org.