2025, yeah yeah - new year new me.

Is it time to do what we didn’t think we could do? Every year that passes is another year where we step closer to 2050, when pretty much all of the developed world has committed to net zero.

What does it mean for real estate?

Well, real estate is a significant portion of the challenge since it is thought to be responsible for around 40% of total global carbon emissions.

And, since we are building an area the size of Paris each week we surely have to consider the energy and carbon impact of this, alongside the same for our existing stock.

But what does this actually all mean, really - it is in danger of becoming opaque and vague.

Currently, and I’ll talk about the UAE region, our new buildings are designed to a green building code. Let’s talk Abu Dhabi where the prevailing code is called Estidama.

Pause - we are focusing the sustainability question on energy and carbon first and foremost. It is this which is the biggest lever. We understand that sustainability of material, environment, and other aspects is part of the challenge but for now, energy and carbon is number 1.

The standard works by requiring the designers to evaluate energy performance, via a model, against a baseline building - one constructed to a set of standards that were valid in 2007.

The new building energy is calculated with a minimum mandate of 12% improvement required in order to be approved.

So, in theory every building moves us forward by 12% against the 2007 baseline. Job done.

Or is it.

You see there is gaps in this method, one being that focusing only on compliance means we miss out on other ways to improve efficiency*

*more in another post

But more critically, it doesn’t allow an accurate energy projection nor does it mandate any checking of energy use when occupied.

So we are left with a problem, we don't really know if we are storing problems in our new builds or whether we are making the necessary progress to meet 2050 targets.

What can we do?

our thoughts are:

• Run a performance model as well as a compliance model, to establish likely energy usage intensity (EUI) values for new builds
• Mandate for post occupancy evaluation to establish whether targets are being met.

These two changes can transform the built environment and drive more energy efficient buildings. But it is a step into the unknown.

And that’s what makes it exciting!

Our team at Elevation Carbon has been working with performance models since 2010, and know the benefits that can be achieved.

We have worked on post occupancy evaluations and delivered accurate energy projections, which can be proved and managed during operation.

If you want to know more about how this approach does not need to cost you more as a designer, and how as a developer you will save cash in Capex and Opex...then reach out to us today.

Happy New Year!