Part of:
Advancing Net Zero
Building the case for net zero
UKGBC is supporting our industry's transition to net zero by undertaking feasibility studies into the design, delivery and cost of new net zero carbon buildings.
UKGBC’s cost-evaluation studies shine a light on the real-world implications for achieving new net zero buildings and illustrate how new buildings can be designed to reach net zero performance targets and the effect this has on cost. The findings are intended to improve the collective understanding for the buildings sector and help build the case for new net zero buildings.
Our work
Retrofitting office buildings
‘Building the case for net zero: retrofitting office buildings‘ reframes retrofit as an iterative process, rather than a standalone project, and demonstrates that upgrades should be planned and implemented to align with critical opportunities, such as lease and maintenance cycles. It examines different retrofit measures and assesses them on their cost and carbon impacts.
High-rise residential and office buildings
This study looked at two real-life buildings at design stage, one residential block and one office building. The team considered the base designs and produced two further design iterations for each, one ‘intermediate’ scenario, looking to meet 2025 net zero performance targets and one ‘stretch’ scenario with 2030 targets in mind. The targets used were drawn from work undertaken by RIBA, LETI and UKGBC, covering embodied and operational carbon. In parallel, an analysis of the effect on cost across the design scenarios has been undertaken to estimate the changes required in the financing of new net zero buildings.
Low-rise residential developments: masterplan
This study looks at a real-world 750-home scheme, Trumpington South, and is intended to highlight the need for the measurement and mitigation of embodied carbon in the construction and property industry. The study reveals a number of easy and cost-effectiveness design interventions which can be applied at the masterplan level to achieve embodied carbon savings. The results also reveal that minimising embodied carbon has wider benefits, including enhanced climate resilience, increased nature and biodiversity, and improved resident amenity.
Closing the gap towards net zero carbon new-build homes
This report is based on the same real-world proposed residential scheme in Cambridgeshire, Trumpington South, as our Building the Case for Net Zero: A case study for low-rise residential developments study, which focuses on reducing carbon in the masterplan. This study provides insight into the challenges and opportunities industry will face as we close the gap between current new home delivery and genuine net zero carbon homes.
Unlocking the delivery of net zero carbon buildings
This guidance document is intended to help developers and project teams set strategies at the outset of any project to streamline the delivery of net zero carbon buildings. It identifies barriers that are likely to emerge through RIBA Stages 0-7 and provides associated opportunities for how these can be overcome.
Advancing Net Zero Partners
Our Advancing Net Zero work is made possible thanks to our programme partners
