Carbon Net Zero is surely the ultimate hygiene factor?

Frederick Herzberg's classic theory of motivation identifies two different types of factor at work in how motivated we are in work and life.

There are those factors, the hygiene factors, which perform the role of the foundations of a house. Without foundations your house is unlikely to stand up for very long but the foundations themselves don't add anything to your house's curb appeal or the experience of living within it. The motivators are the elements that add value to your experience and your life.

I choose the analogy of house construction very deliberately because it chimes neatly with the concept of Carbon Zero in construction. If we do not achieve Carbon Net Zero, then many people on this planet will find their current environment life threatening, as the impact of extreme climate change becomes felt. But it is HOW we achieve carbon zero that will reflect on how the experience of our home and working life changes; the way in which our urban communities can be transformed.

This theme of HOW is what Dr. Asif Din from Perkins & Will is going to pursue in next week's Sustainability Ambassadors webinar: Beyond Zero: Achieving Sustainability, Resilience, Regeneration, Inclusion and Wellbeing in Architectural Design

Whilst it remains incredibly important to sustain our focus on Carbon Zero, we mustn't lose sight of the detail behind the headline nor miss the opportunity that this urgent deadline creates for us to change the design and lived experienced of offices, homes, shops and other buildings.

I hope you can join us.