Net zero verification scheme launched for UK buildings

Certification company Bureau Veritas has launched the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, a voluntary verification scheme that determines a building's carbon performance.

Now open for submissions, the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard assesses net-zero claims of buildings against an industry-agreed definition, aiming to minimise greenwashing.

New buildings, existing buildings and retrofit projects can be entered voluntarily to the standard, which grants a Net Zero Carbon Aligned verification to buildings that meet the set criteria.

Verification requires 12 months of in-use building data

Buildings submitted to the scheme will be assessed by Bureau Veritas based on 12 months of in-use energy data and as-built upfront embodied-carbon data.

To be verified as Net Zero Carbon Aligned, buildings must remove on-site fossil fuels, generate on-site renewable energy and minimise the upfront embodied carbon and measured in-use energy consumption.

Offsets cannot be used to meet any of the required limits, but can be considered to tackle residual carbon when mandatory requirements are met.

Standard "marks a pivotal shift in the industry"

Bureau Veritas hopes that providing a set standard for net zero in the building industry will build credibility in carbon claims, shifting the focus from design-stage modelling data to in-use performance.

"The launch of verification under the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard marks a pivotal shift in the industry, moving from predicted outcomes to measured, independently verified in-use performance," said Bureau Veritas vice president Antoine Giros.

"As verification administrator, Bureau Veritas will ensure that net-zero claims are accurate, reliable, and backed by rigorous assessment," he continued. "Our role is to provide independent expertise in building performance and carbon assessment, to give investors, occupiers, and stakeholders genuine confidence in building performance."

"With nearly 200 years of credibility in testing, inspection and certification, we're proud to support the industry's transition towards a low-carbon future."

Prior to final verification, buildings can undergo a verified check at the practical completion stage to gauge whether they are on track to meet the standards when in use.

Bureau Veritas also provides a carbon performance evaluation for buildings that do not meet all the requirements for Net Zero Carbon Aligned verification, to track their decarbonisation progress.

"It is now only a matter of time before the first buildings are verified as Net Zero Carbon Aligned," said UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard CEO Katie Jackson-Clements.

"These front-runners will represent environmental leadership within the UK built environment industry and pave the way for many more verifications to follow."

Sustainable buildings that have recently featured on Dezeen include a net-zero campus in Washington for the American Institute of Architects and a house in the Hamptons designed to be net-positive-energy.

Photo by Watt A Lot via Unsplash.

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