Electrification of the Built Environment: Barriers & Enablers

This report sets out the main barriers and enablers affecting the pace, cost and deliverability of the UK's electricity transition, with a specific focus on what this means for the built environment.
Climate Change Mitigation Advancing Net Zero Technical Report

The UK’s energy infrastructure and distribution system (EIDS) is essential for the delivery of legally binding net zero targets.

UKGBC’s Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap anticipated that reductions in operational carbon would form the greatest share of the built environment’s carbon reductions until 2050, mostly driven by electrification, as opposed to improvements in energy efficiency. The recent progress report in 2025 highlighted that this transition is not moving quickly enough and calls for acceleration of grid decarbonisation and connection reform.

The report highlights key system interactions, across demand, network and generation, and where coordinated solutions need to be developed across the EIDS to unlock capacity and improve resilience. It aims to support more informed decision-making by those across the EIDS and the built environment.

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Electrification for the Built Environment
Explore our Glossary of Electrification terms for built environment professionals

This report is aimed at:

Developers, asset owners, investors, occupiers and facility management teams.
Consultants, architects and contractors.
Local authorities and public bodies.
Large electricity users and infrastructure developers.
Flexibility and local energy market participants.
Electricity system stakeholders, including Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), transmission owners, the system operator (NESO), energy suppliers and regulators.

Advancing Net Zero Programme Partners

Thank you to our Programme Partners for their generous support:

Advancing Net Zero

Created in 2018 as part of a World Green Building Council former global Advancing Net Zero programme, UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero programme has a mission to lead the UK’s transition to a net zero built environment. It has produced leading guidance such as the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework and the Net Zero Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, whilst working with organisations and experts across the industry.
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