I got involved in developing the new net zero carbon building standard, which was published last week, not because it is easy, but because it is hard. The reality is that most new buildings being constructed today would not meet these ambitious targets, especially in sectors like offices and science facilities.

This standard is likely to push innovation and ambitious thinking. Even more challenging for office and science sectors is the fact that, unlike the NABERS standard, which separates energy targets between landlords and tenants, this new standard does not. 

We hope to see that broken down in future versions. It is still a good idea to account for these two energy uses separately. Doing so could help landlords gain a better understanding of how people actually use their buildings.