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WorldGBC report calls for coordinated action towards 100% net zero carbon buildings by 2050

文章来源： 作者： 发布时间：2017年06月13日 点击数： 次 字号：小 大
The signing of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 was rightly hailed as a truly historic moment in the fight against climate change. 
It marked the start of the most important race in our existence – the race to curb global
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions so that global temperature rise remains below 2 degrees Celsius and, ideally, below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
It also set a clear timeline for how quickly the world must change its course so that, by 2050, all major business sectors are operating in a state of essentially zero carbon emissions. In this race, each sector will identify its own goals and path.
Since the building and construction sector is responsible for around 30% of global energy consumption and the associated GHGs, this sector will play a significant role in finding the solutions.
What that means for the building and construction sector is nothing short of a dramatic and ambitious transformation towards a completely zero carbon built environment. For this reason, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is calling for the dual goals of:
All new buildings must operate at net zero carbon from 2030
Net zero carbon buildings must become standard business practice as soon as possible, so we build right from the start; avoid the need for future major retrofits; and prevent the lock-in of carbon emitting systems for decades to come.
100% of buildings must operate at net zero carbon by 2050.
Existing buildings require not only an acceleration of current renovation rates, but these renovations must be completed to a net zero carbon standard so that all buildings are net zero carbon in operation by 2050.
 
WorldGBC has worked with its Green Building Councils (GBCs) and partners to define a net zero carbon building as:
A highly energy-efficient building with all remaining operational energy use from renewable energy, preferably on-site but also off-site production, to achieve net zero carbon emissions annually in operation.
 
WorldGBC has adopted this definition because it clarifies the focus on carbon and enables flexibility, market-by-market, regarding details such as energy source.
The 2030 and 2050 goals are essential to combat climate change, but we have a long way to go.  Current estimates suggest 500 net zero commercial buildings, and several thousand net zero homes and residential units currently exist in the world. These must become several billion net zero buildings as soon as possible. WorldGBC believes that this transformation is absolutely possible if the right actions are implemented.
As of today, ten GBCs are already working with stakeholders in their markets to: create or adopt voluntary net zero carbon building rating systems; catalyse projects; and support training. These GBCs are responding to the climate imperative and paving a new path for net zero: one focused on carbon.
And while each GBC is developing the programme that is right for their market, each will respect the following principles:
1. use carbon as the key metric; 
2. promote deep energy efficiency; 
3. Establish a hierarchical preference for on-site renewable energy, off-site renewable energy, and then offsets; 
4. transparently disclose how each building achieves a carbon balance and promote continuous improvement of the building sector.
 
While these GBCs are setting clear directions in their own markets, WorldGBC believes that only through concerted action of three core groups of actors, can we achieve these goals; Business, Government and Non-Governmental Organizations.
Achieving the targets laid out above would help to ensure that the worst impacts of climate change are avoided, and bring about a number of other political and economic benefits. These include: future-proofing of investments; resilience against energy prices; meeting climate change obligations; market advancements such as education, technology development and innovation; creating new jobs; and enabling significant investment in new clean energy systems.
Each of the net zero buildings in existence today, and outlined here, are a testament to the technologies, design strategies and operational practices that make net zero buildings possible worldwide. If we start today, every building can be net zero tomorrow.