Explained: The Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UK)
New podcast episode
We all know we need new buildings to be low carbon. Eventually, even Net Zero Carbon. It sounds like a simple concept. Just capture as much CO2 as you emit, right?
Not quite.
Once you get into the details of designing a net zero carbon building, things get incredibly complex.
What materials should you use?
Should you build lightweight or bulk up on carbon-sequestering natural materials?
How much emissions should you offset?
Since the idea of net zero carbon architecture has become more mainstream in recent years, a number of new buildings have claimed the title. And most of them are great buildings.
But the problem is that there hasn’t been a widely agreed standard for how to define and achieve net zero carbon.
That’s why a group of architects and engineers in the UK got together to put together the definitive guide to designing buildings for net zero carbon - The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard.
I caught up with Salem Qunsol, one of the experts who contributed to writing the standard, about what it all means.
We had a lively discussion about:
The best practice process for designing net zero carbon buildings
Whether concrete can ever be zero carbon
The role of timber and other natural materials, and
Circular economy principles.
Episode #113: The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard explained
Listen to the episode on the links below:
Go directly to the standard here: https://www.nzcbuildings.co.uk/home
p.s. there are still places available for my webinar on 25 April: Nature-led Masterplanning