Are we looking at the future of net zero carbon?

I chaired an event on Tuesday at AECOM’s London office with four speakers who shared their thoughts on the forthcoming net zero carbon buildings standard (NZCBS) which is desperately needed to set a clear definition of net zero and challenging carbon limits for all buildings.

The experiences of the speakers show that it is essential to set clear targets in the brief, involve experts right from the start of the project to inform early design decisions and to cascade the requirements right through the whole process, through to post-completion monitoring. To achieve the targets, the whole project team must challenge conventional practice, think beyond the site boundary, and use nature-based solutions to move towards a more regenerative approach to design.

Our speakers included Patrick Hayes , Technical Director at IStructE and a Governing Board member of NZCBS who started off the session explaining how the new standard is being developed using a stock model that allocates the UK’s remaining carbon budget across the building sectors. The Standard aims to set challenging targets for 13 building typologies, including metrics for onsite renewables, renewable procurement and refrigerant leakage as well as lifecycle embodied carbon and operational energy limits.

Next to speak was Alexia Laird , Sustainability Director at Landsec who talked through how they have set challenging targets for some years now and how they are implementing them on their projects. She noted that their targets were now so stringent that they are looking way beyond simple materials substitution and the use of reclaimed materials. Instead they are questioning whether the element or system is even needed.

Their holistic approach has achieved an 26% embodied carbon reduction on Timber Square through the use of CLT/steel and other measure to an impressive 434 kgCO2e/m2 (A1-A5).

Our third speaker Nathan Shelley , one of our Sustainability consultants explained his experience of using the NHS’s own Net Zero Carbon Standard that has already been introduced for large healthcare projects. The standard requires a net zero carbon coordinator to be appointed from the start of the project and that his team were one of the first (if not the first!) coordinators to be appointed under the new Standard.

Nathan explained how he had used dynamic simulation modelling at early design stages on projects such as Hillingdon Hospital, to assess massing options and inform the glazing ratios, orientation and the overall configuration of the building. His team has also been breaking down the overall embodied carbon budget into each element (fa?ade, foundations, structure, roof, etc.) and benchmarked them against other projects, which helps to identify elements that are pushing up the overall budget and could be improved.

Our final speaker Darren Wilson an Associate from White Arkitekter used the Velindre Cancer Centre to explain how nature-based solutions have created a low energy and embodied carbon design. He showed how the project brief referenced carbon numerous times and, as part of the vision for the project stated that ‘the importance of nature for this project cannot be overstated’.

The design uses a palette of biogenic materials such as hemp and timber, as well as a passive design approach to cut energy demand. Darren gave examples of how it is possible to challenge conventional practice and substitute materials.

If you are interested in learning more about the forthcoming standard and what built environment ?professionals should expect visit see an article I have written on the topic.

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