Researchers from the University of NSW (UNSW) in Sydney have developed a national reference guide to help Australia hit its net zero targets.
The free online resource provides a pathway to achieving ‘whole of life’ net zero carbon for Australian buildings by 2040.
Race to Net Zero Carbon: A Climate Emergency Guide for New and Existing Buildings in Australia is a 40-page guide which details critical information about materials and construction best practices to help architects, engineers and planners transform the building industry towards net zero carbon buildings.
Lead researcher of the guide, Professor Deo Prasad, said the guide draws on Australian climate data but has global applicability.
“This guide provides a deeper level of knowledge on how this sector can rapidly move towards net zero carbon buildings in the short term,” he said.
“Using science-based evidence and analytics, the guide maps a clear roadmap to achieving net zero by 2040 in the building industry. It goes beyond the aspirational and into the achievable.”
The world’s built environment is responsible for 37 per cent of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, it is responsible for one-fifth of all emissions.
Carbon emissions within the built environment occur across all stages of a building’s life cycle.
Prasad said historically, most professionals have only focussed on reducing the operational carbon footprints of buildings. Researchers from UNSW Sydney have developed a national reference guide to help Australia hit its net zero targets.
The free online resource provides a pathway to achieving ‘whole of life’ net zero carbon for Australian buildings by 2040.
Race to Net Zero Carbon: A Climate Emergency Guide for New and Existing Buildings in Australia is a 40-page guide which details critical information about materials and construction best practices to help architects, engineers and planners transform the building industry towards net zero carbon buildings.
Lead researcher of the guide, Professor Deo Prasad, said the guide draws on Australian climate data but has global applicability.
The guide is the first to detail a holistic approach to achieving net zero and fills knowledge gaps on net zero carbon buildings
Operational carbon refers to what is required for the building to run once it is built, like energy use in heating or cooling.
Meanwhile, embodied carbon footprints, which are accrued before a building is even constructed, have usually been overlooked by the industry.
“There are significant amounts of emissions embedded in the materials and construction of the building itself and these need to be addressed and offset in order for our built environment to be truly net zero,” Prasad explained.
“The best way to minimise the embodied carbon footprint is by retrofitting and reducing materials in use. If that’s not possible, then employing low-carbon materials such as green steel and concrete alternatives during the construction process is best, which is what the guide provides a roadmap for.”
The guide also details post-life opportunities for buildings destined to be demolished – creating opportunities to expand the circular economy.
“While the global community is aiming for net zero by 2050, the building sector has much greater potential and opportunity to reach net zero operational emissions by 2030 and a 60 per cent reduction in embodied carbon by 2030,” he said.
“Governments should mandate net zero construction codes, which will push for best performance to achieve net zero.
“If this is done, not only will Australia achieve net zero in built environment in the short term, we will also create markets for new products and technologies which will benefit the economy.”
Prasad said of all the stakeholders in the construction and building industry, it is the clients that have the most power to drive change towards net zero.
“Our guide has all the knowledge the industry needs to achieve net zero – a roadmap that shows it can be done and, most importantly, the type of conversation clients can have with designers or government,” he said.