Defining Net Zero Carbon and how is it achieved?

Exyte Hargreaves • 10 February 2021

At Exyte Hargreaves ‘Net Zero’ has become a common conversation amongst colleagues, consultants, clients and contractors.

Net Zero Carbon
At Exyte Hargreaves ‘Net Zero’ has become a common conversation amongst colleagues, consultants, clients and contractors.
This simple guide is intended to help explain the terminology and key aspects.

Legislation
In June 2019 the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass a net zero emissions law. The aim is to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. This means 100% of all building processes must operate at net zero by 2050.
Locally, many Councils around the UK have adopted more aggressive targets in achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.

Net Zero Explained
The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) defines a net zero carbon building as being ‘highly efficient with all remaining energy from on-site and/or off-site renewable sources.’ This means the amount of carbon emissions associated with a building’s usage and construction stages (up to practical completion) must equal zero or negative.
It can be achieved using offsets or the export of on-site renewable energy, e.g. exporting surplus unused energy back to the grid.

The WorldGBC has provided 4 key defining principles of Net Zero:
  1. Measure and disclose carbon – Carbon is the ultimate metric to track, and buildings must achieve an annual operational net zero carbon emmisions balance based on metered data.
  2. Reduce energy demand – Prioritise energy efficiency to ensure that buildings are performing as efficiently as possible, and not wasting energy
  3. Generate balance from renewables – Supply remaining demand from renewable energy sources preferably on-site followed by off-site, or from offsets.
  4. Improve verification and rigour – Over time, progress to include embodied carbon and other impact areas such as zero water and zero waste.

The WorldGBC has provided five steps to achieving net zero carbon:
Achieving Net Zero Carbon

Summary

Recent findings published by the WorldGBC confirmed that the number of organisations committed to net-zero buildings has doubled over the last year.

This represents a clear step-change in the thinking of major organisations.


At Exyte Hargreaves it’s important to us to lead by example. Our main focus will be on innovation, business change and encouraging sustainable behaviours across all our offices, sites, staff and operations.


We will build on existing projects to develop the processes, tools and training needed to make carbon reduction ‘business as usual’ in both the methods and services we deliver.


For Exyte Hargreaves, this starts with our commitment to carbon neutrality in 2021. To meet both targets, we must draw on our collective strength: both the innovations and experience of our leading experts, and the ideas of our staff in the earlier stages of their careers. We’ll also be sharing our successes and our insights as we work towards Engineering Net Zero, through continued reporting and thought leadership.