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7 October 2021 Comments (0) Environment, Other, Real Estate

Zero carbon: where are we? 

The climate emergency is all around us. Whether it is the IPCC, the 2015 Paris Agreement or just common sense: we need to radically change the way we live and consume. And the way we build.

It has become common for real estate projects to achieve so-called “zero energy” performance, or even produce more than they consume. All building professionals agree: carbon neutrality is the next big challenge.

In accordance with the zero carbon emission objectives of 2050, major European construction players are now emphasising a set of principles:

  1. minimise consumption and materials that cause greenhouse gas emissions
  2. favour the efficiency of the techniques and the relevance of the materials used in construction
  3. compensate, as a last resort, what cannot be optimised and carbon-free.

It’s all about perspective

Going towards zero-carbon constructions also implies transparency. The subject is so vast and complex that everyone must commit to being as virtuous as possible. Translating all actions into tonnes of CO2 equivalent (TeqCO2) implies great transparency and awareness of the entire chain. 

Today, the only standards available are followed on a voluntary basis. They set the tone for the ambitions of the construction sector in terms of environmental impact. For example, the Pas 2060 standard was developed by the British Standards Institution , which is already responsible for many global quality standards, including the BREEAM classification.

The biggest challenge on the road towards zero carbon? Undoubtedly the need to share and group needs and practices. Let’s take just one example: using geothermal energy for a single building doesn’t make sense. For an entire neighbourhood, it does.

Together towards a greener and carbon-free future? The future will tell…

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