The Feasibility of Achieving Net-Zero Carbon Buildings

Achieving Net-Zero Carbon Buildings: A Global Reality or a Pipe Dream?

By Evelyn Long, editor-in-chief of Renovated

Environmentalists dream of the day when worldwide building emissions plummet. This would signal the success of the collaboration between builders, energy professionals and urban planners. Most of these projects use net-zero goals as a framework for decarbonization. How practical is this as a guideline? Modern progress hints that sustainable infrastructure is possible, while other stats suggest it’s impractical.

What Are Net-Zero Carbon Buildings?

A net-zero building refers to a structure capable of offsetting the amount of energy and resources it uses with renewable generators and sustainable management. This happens by reducing resource needs and making operational systems more climate-considerate, like HVAC equipment or windows.

It doesn’t matter what type of electricity it is, whether wind, solar or biomass. The only important factor is the building makes enough clean electricity so it doesn’t have to rely on fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gas emissions. If designed correctly, the building’s life cycle will have created no carbon.

People often confuse net-zero carbon buildings with similar concepts. A net-zero energy building only refers to a structure creating on-site power to cover electricity. Meanwhile, net-zero operational carbon structures get energy from an off-site source to meet the balance. This may be required for some homes and companies if installation or access to clean energy isn’t possible on the property. This can happen with a new build or a retrofit.

Finally, a net-zero whole-life carbon building refers to a net-zero operational carbon building that deploys additional strategies, such as carbon capture and removal, to compensate for the embodied carbon the structure is responsible for throughout its life. This should be the gold standard. Whether this is possible for all buildings worldwide is a critical conversation when considering global climate agreements.

Why Is Net-Zero Important for the Planet?

Keeping global warming below a 2-degree Celsius rise by 2050 is an urgent priority, yet fewer than 1% of buildings are net-zero. They contribute substantially to the climate crisis, and without tackling the building problem, emissions run amok until they become impossible to curb before the Paris Agreement deadlines.

Net zero is also important because of how many industries it influences outside of the building sector. It influences energy, urban design, construction, grid development, transportation and countless others. Because of how many components go into an eco-friendly home or office building, interdisciplinary collaboration is the only way to get there. It forces organizations to finally attain the green skills they need for a sustainable future.

Choosing net-zero building strategies also supports comprehensive improvements for public health. Everything from chemical insulation to oil furnaces pollutes the air, water and soil. Inevitably, the damage leaves its mark on the human body. Poor environmental quality from exploitative, traditional building methods could lead to:

• Respiratory problems.
• Heart disease.
• Eye, nose and throat irritation.
• Headaches.
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness.
• Cancer.

What Strategies Do Experts Use to Make a Net-Zero Building?

Net-zero buildings are only as effective as the strategies builders use. What is the most impactful?

Energy-Efficient Design

Reducing energy is the first pillar in preparing construction for a sustainable future. As experts continue innovating, new methods are discovered. One example is passive design principles, which leverage elements like the home’s position and daylighting to control internal conditions. Daylighting involves reflecting and absorbing warmth from the sun to minimize mechanical temperature management.

Another energy-efficient element is insulation. Ensuring heat loss is minimal and thermal distribution is controlled will make it so houses and offices don’t need to put pressure on fossil fuel-based equipment to compensate for the influence of the outdoors.

Renewable Energy Systems

Energy use is increasing because of how many technologies modern infrastructure uses. It is critical to ensure it all uses renewable, clean power during its life cycle. Depending on the region, climate and land’s potential, buildings have these options:

• Solar
• Wind
• Biomass
• Geothermal
• Green hydrogen
• Hydropower

Communities with residences and businesses may create energy alone or connect to a microgrid of other renewable energy generators.

Smart Technologies

All these energy tools need smart management systems that automate their processes and collect as much data as possible. The more the sensors collect, the better the technologies operate. This also makes users more proficient and aware of their use. For example, it can tell people how many resources lights, HVAC and water appliances use.

Water Efficiency and Conservation

Most people focus on energy in net-zero buildings, but saving water is another focal element. Rainwater barrels and greywater recycling are key to further reducing utility demands on homes.

Sustainable Materials

Materials like concrete are some of the most carbon-intensive on the planet. Many options exist to combat the damage conventional materials cause. From fast-growing, renewable bamboo foundations to low-impact, carbon-sequestering concrete, these materials may become industry mainstays because they outperform classic options.

What Are the Implications Regarding Climate Change?

Net-zero applications are critical for combating climate change, especially when buildings and construction account for 37% of global emissions. Therefore, using net-zero as a guideline will only help the number lessen over time.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the most apparent benefit of net-zero carbon buildings. If homes and commercial structures consider embodied carbon, this could lead to the permanent elimination of expected greenhouse gases.

It also supports using sustainable technologies, which should become the default. Without a framework like achieving a net-zero building, corporations would not move away from the environmentally destructive technologies they have used for decades. For example, a home wouldn’t typically include battery energy storage as part of its design, but a net-zero version would. During construction, builders can now lean on sustainable forklifts and heavy machinery that use alternative fuels and produce less waste.

All these efforts culminate in climate-resilient infrastructure. A building uses copious amounts of resources in its lifetime, but it squanders them all by being fragile against environmental stressors. Hurricanes, wildfires and other types of natural disasters are only increasing in power and frequency. Infrastructure must withstand them to prevent further resource and energy waste.

Are Net-Zero Buildings Realistic?

While the advantages sound promising, is it realistic to prioritize net zero buildings? If humanity invests all its resources, will there be too many obstacles to progress?

The Current State

Net-zero buildings only comprise a minuscule percentage of buildings on the planet right now. The numbers are not ideal, but interest and adoption are slowly mounting. Regulatory agencies, legislation and other organizations are pushing education for these concepts to increase awareness.

This has sparked technological advancements, like better solar panels. As efficiency increases, governments are more likely to support their spread through policy. This is what has caused electric vehicles and renewable energy generators to become more accessible across the world.

Finally, pilot projects are unfolding worldwide to test the viability of installing net-zero at scale. During COP 28, a collaboration began to foster the Green and Thriving Neighborhoods program. Its goal is to make 40 urban regions 15-minute cities — walkable havens of low-emissions accessibility. Another initiative, the Generation Restoration project, will transform urban ecosystems in eight cities until they become lower-emissions, including Mexico City and Kochi. Similar projects are happening worldwide.

Why It Is Realistic

Humanity has the strategies, technologies and knowledge necessary to transform every building into a climate-considerate one from now on. HVAC systems have become the most efficient they have in history, and fossil fuel-free energy is an established reality. The only delay is manufacturing enough equipment in a timely fashion.

The cost savings also make the shift hard to ignore. People could save more than $1,260 in year one and a cumulative of $25,378 over 15 years because of the rate at which electricity prices increase. When fossil fuel prices are constantly in flux, the financial draw of net-zero is the most realistic motivator for a transition — people want to save money.

Finally, the design approaches used in net-zero buildings alleviate global resource burdens. Water and energy scarcity are only a few of several worldwide problems. Knowing buildings can reduce a significant portion of these worries makes net zero a realistic avenue for achieving a socially just society with equitable resource access.

Why It Isn’t Realistic

While the financial savings are significant, the upfront costs can make the returns on investment feel far away. Many don’t have the immediate capital necessary to choose net-zero when many of the technologies are still considered luxuries. Should small businesses be expected to risk stability to get a geothermal heat pump, or can low-income communities have the same energy-efficient expectations as high-income? Disparities exist, which make achieving net zero complicated.

The complexity of worldwide implementation is another consideration. While retrofits are possible, compatibility is a constant concern. Every building needs individualized attention — it’s time workforces can hardly afford to waste. Additionally, the time professionals need to upskill to learn to install net-zero solutions could make transitions even more cumbersome. Labor shortages still persist in construction, so limited hands would have to assume monumental responsibilities that could be borderline unrealistic.

Budding policy also prevents as much development from happening. Without advocacy, standards can’t become comprehensive. Regulatory barriers already incentivize many to choose conventional building methods over net-zero because they are less of a headache. Greater support would force professionals and residents to overcome behavioral factors that stop buildings from operating at peak efficiency.

The Net-Zero Reality

Net-zero buildings are possible, but it will take time for the entire world to embrace them. Urbanization needs to happen fast to sustain population growth, and building integrity and sustainability shouldn’t be compromised to meet demand. If industries focus too much on output without considering long-term ecological impacts, standards will never shift in the right direction.

The best way to ensure net zero carbon buildings become a reality is by vocalizing interest in these concepts. Homeowners should ask what improvements are possible before moving in. Tenured professionals must meet with stakeholders to assert why switching to net-zero corporate practices is important. The influence of individual voices on a massive scale will be what commits workforces to greener dwellings.

About the Author

Evelyn Long is a writer and the editor-in-chief of Renovated. Her work has been published by NCCER, Build Magazine and other online publications.