Deepika Singhal
Director
Building physics

The highly anticipated UK Net Zero Carbon Standard (the Standard) was officially launched in its pilot version after two years of extensive consultation and industry collaboration. This standard represents a significant step forward for the industry, and Deepika Singhal, Building Physics lead at Hollis has contributed to its development through case studies and consultation feedback.
As we digest the details, here are some key points to consider:
For the first time there is considerably too much cross referencing, so you end up jumping from one section to another to understand the new terminologies, acronyms and definitions. It is clear how much work has gone in compiling this standard and no one ever expected it to be any simpler. However, there’s a clear need for focused training from CIBSE/UKGBC to ensure proper interpretation and use of the reporting proforma.
Sectors: The standard now includes sectors that were previously underrepresented, such as industrial, leisure, and data centres. This inclusion is crucial, particularly for sectors like industrial and logistics, which account for 35% of total non-domestic floor area in England and Wales, according to the ND-NEED 2024 data.
Key metrics: There are 10 key metrics in the standard. Six of these set limits and targets, while the remaining four are only for reporting. Notably, assets must be fossil fuel-free to comply, although carbon offsetting remains voluntary, unless required by local or regional policies.
Operational Energy: The Energy Use Intensity (EUI) limits set by the Standard are not currently aligned with other frameworks like Climate Related Risk Assessment Monitor (CRREM) or NABERS. Despite this, there is a mention of future mechanisms to show equivalence with other standards. This would be key to avoid frustration across the industry.
On site renewable targets: There is a target for annual onsite energy generation from renewables ranging from 60-75kWh/m2 of the building footprint for single family homes and single storey warehouses and 30-45kWh/m2 for all other building types. Future Homes/Building Standard which has been in consultation for over a year is also likely to set targets for PV coverage based on the building footprint, so it would be beneficial to see some alignment of the two.
Embodied carbon: The Standard sets targets for upfront embodied carbon and the life cycle emissions must only be reported. Targets are set for various asset types for varying extent of works i.e. new build, refurbishment and retrofit works. Some targets are missing due to lack of case studies but we hope to see these added following the pilot studies.
There is also an embodied carbon limit set for onsite Photovoltaics which is 750 kgCO2e/kWp. Some of the studies published by PV manufacturers and available Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) indicate that an embodied carbon of approx. 600 kgCO2/kWp could be achieved for monocrystalline panels. So, the question remains, is if this target is challenging enough?
Fossil Fuel Free: This applies to key energy uses, with the exemption of any essential energy back up such as life safety generators or power back up for data rooms etc.
Reporting: Conformity of the standard can only be assessed once the building/works have been completed and sufficiently occupied for a year. Therefore, for buildings in design or construction stages, there is a long time before they can get the NZC status.
For the existing buildings looking to conform with the standard, the first reporting period will be 12 months from the commencement of studies, with a default target of 2025, if no retrofit works took place during or after 2025.The reporting is for the whole building, so for leased assets, property owners must have an appropriate metering strategy or agreements in place to obtain energy usage of the entire building. This may be the biggest challenge for the existing assets. The template is an extensive Excel spreadsheet – if you were ever intimidated by the GLA’s energy or embodied carbon reporting template, then wait till you see this! On a serious note, it is clear that this would be a great source of data collection and target setting for the future versions of the standard.
As we continue to test the Standard, there are still some burning questions that’ll be key for its adoption by the industry:
Want to learn more about the Standard or are you keen to volunteer your project for pilot testing? Get in touch!