Zero Carbon Buildings and NZEB

ENERGY & CO2

Recorded by Sofie Pelsmakers, images by Essi Nisonen

KEY READINGS 

• Energy, People Buildings: Making Sustainable Architecture Work, Kimpian, J., Hartman, H., Pelsmakers, S., RIBA Publishing

• Climate Emergency Design Guide, LET; https://www.leti.uk/cedg

• Net Zero, LETI, https://www.leti.uk/netzero

• Designing for the climate emergency, a Guide for Architecture Students, Pelsmakers, S., Donovan, E., Hoggard, A., Kozminska, U., RIBA

• Pelsmakers, S., The Environmental Design Pocketbook. Riba Publishing

• Targeting Zero: Embodied and Whole Life Carbon Explained, Sturgis, RIBA

• What Colour is your building?, Clark, RIBA

INSPIRATIONAL BUILT EXAMPLES

• A01 – No Footprint House, Ojochal, Costa Rica

• ArchiBlox, Carbon Positive House, Australia

• Sauerbruch Hutton – GSW Headquarters Tower, Berlin, Germany

ZERO CARBON BUILDINGS AND NZEB

Zero carbon buildings and nZEB (nearly zero energy) buildings are crucial to meet ambitious national, EU and global climate targets that target the reduction of fossil fuel use in society, including in architecture. This is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels. Every fraction of a degree of CO2 reduction matters.

To ensure a just and fair carbon neutral transition, carbon reduction measures such as nZEB must go hand-in-hand with other sustainability approaches such as inclusive and democratic processes with people and communities (see all other themes). At the heart of creating nZEBs are:

•       Fabric and energy efficiency principles first (high insulation, airtightness standards, appropriate solar design etc. – see passive resilience theme).

•       Ensure you undertake inclusive and democratic process and make sure no-one is left behind (see people & communities theme).

•       Post-competition, return to check if things work as intended (i.e. achieving actual performance – see performance theme)

•       After all, carbon emissions are not saved on paper but must be achieved in reality.

You as an architects play a vital role in achieving a carbon neutral society: early inclusion of nZEB strategies helps to integrate passive resilience approaches that reduce the need for energy in the first place. The goal is to make buildings that use less energy, thereby reducing carbon emissions.