TALKING HEADS/ NIGEL TONKS


Why measurement is the key to cutting carbon


The built environment will not reach UN 2030 goals unless it embraces a consistent carbon measurement system, says Nigel Tonks.


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t is clear that the built environment must take a leading role in tackling the climate crisis, with buildings accounting for 37% of global energy


related carbon emissions. And yet, as the 2023 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction recently found, the sector is not on track to reach its UN 2030 goals. In fact, the report, launched at the recent UN-led Buildings and Climate Forum in Paris, shows emissions are 15 percentage points behind where they need to be, significantly widening the gap we must fill. Clearly, action needs to be taken to


drive down emissions, and urgently. But for this to happen, a method to consistently measure the carbon footprint of buildings is required to guide and inform the steps we take next. There are reasons to be hopeful:


last year, the International Energy Agency showed that buildings offer 40% of the solutions needed to double energy intensity improvements by 2030 – meaning the solutions to this problem already exist. We know how to insulate buildings, replace fossil fuel heating systems with electric alternatives, improve building performance, drive down embodied carbon, and decarbonise the grid. The challenge lies in accelerating action and implementing these solutions at scale and pace – all of which stems from effective carbon measurement systems being in place.


Tracking progress Without consistent measurement across the built environment, we cannot collect sufficient meaningful data to determine what realistic industry targets to set. This means we have no single system to track our progress. For example, a recent paper by


the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, exploring the state of international Whole Life Carbon (WLC) policy definitions has


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revealed that, as it stands, there is no globally consistent and robust definition of a net zero building within the property sector, despite the rise in corporate net zero commitments. There is also not one national policy requiring buildings to be truly net zero now or in the future, or any set requirement to measure carbon emissions. This ineffective reporting is holding us back and preventing the growing demand for net zero buildings from driving a desperately needed market transformation. At its simplest, an operationally


net zero building can be defined as one that has a high energy efficiency in line with national decarbonisation pathways and is 100% powered by its own on-site renewable energy. However, for the vast majority of buildings, this latter goal is out of reach, and achieving net zero requires a combination of both an efficient building itself, and the infrastructure that supports it. We should distinguish between a ‘net zero ready’ building and a net zero building, where the difference is that a ‘net zero ready’ building is future-proofed to comply with the efficiency standard for net zero but uses an energy supply that is not fully decarbonised at the moment of new construction or renovation. Without a clear definition of net zero buildings, nor an internationally agreed verification system, businesses and investors face huge ambiguity. An internationally agreed definition


for operationally net zero buildings is crucial to stimulate more robust national and local government policies and industry standards and to provide clarity to the market that will generate real value from the demand for climate adapted assets. This is where the Declaration of


Chaillot, signed by the 72 countries at the Forum, comes in. The Declaration is a commitment to implementing roadmaps, regulatory frameworks, and mandatory building and energy


We need widespread adoption of detailed whole life carbon assessments


codes. Currently, over 100 countries have no building energy regulations whatsoever, and less than 30% have performance regulations for the entire sector. The declaration aims to close this gap by promoting ambitious policies, unlocking finance, and supporting research and development. This intergovernmental commitment is a crucial foundation for the transformative change required in the built environment.


Taking equitable action But net-zero buildings alone will not be enough. Buildings must take into consideration the other impacts of climate change we are facing. They must be climate resilient, adaptable to increased risks of flooding, rainfall and extreme temperatures. No one element of this emergency can be addressed in silo, and no one business or government can solve it alone. This means taking into


consideration the varying impacts of the climate crisis globally. A transition to net-zero must be performed in a just and equitable way, ensuring that policies and actions do not leave behind poorer communities, or the one in eight people living in informal settlements worldwide, who are often the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.


Scaling individual efforts Arup’s dataset covering whole life carbon emissions, which include material embodied emissions on top of the more widely understood operational emissions, across almost 1,000 projects across 30 nations and


five continents, has revealed how valuable comparable, consistent and granular data on building function, size, location, materials and systems can be in informing and prioritising carbon reduction decisions. Openly sharing data and insights such as this across our industry is essential to ensure that we can work together towards net zero goals. To scale these efforts, we need widespread adoption of detailed whole life carbon assessments and transparent reporting. The building sector must collaborate to standardise the collection and sharing of carbon emissions data, develop harmonised tools and methodologies, and train engineers across the sector to use them effectively and to begin designing with carbon alongside cost.


Taking action now As crucial as it is, regulation alone is unlikely to be enacted quickly enough to drive the change required to meet net zero targets. This means we cannot sit still, waiting for policy changes to develop over a number of years. The industry must take action now. If we collaborate across the supply chain and with other sectors, using solutions which already exist, we can work together to drive down emissions. If we implement these at scale, we can – and must – achieve our goal of halving emissions by 2030 in order to keep global warming below 1.5°C. ■


Nigel Tonks Director, WLC Transformation Lead, Arup UKIMEA


EIBI | APRIL 2024

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