Zero carbon non-domestic buildings set for 2020

Zero carbon non-domestic buildings should be built by 2020, a major new industry report reveals today. The document, called Carbon Reductions in New Non-Domestic Buildings, claims the timeframe is “challenging yet achievable”. It adds that the cost premium for achieving such a target was anywhere between 5% to 30% extra. “Cost varies widely with both the form and the use of the building,” it says.

The report confirms that building zero carbon is possible for such buildings “as long as onsite, near-site and offsite renewable solutions are employed.

The UKGBC said that substantial further work needs to be done to achieve the target, including the urgent need for a national database on energy use in don-domestic buildings to improve on “the existing incomplete and inconsistent data”.

Government needs to accept its responsibility to set good policy focusing on outcomes, and in return industry can and must respond and innovate.

Paul King, chief executive UK Green Building Council

UKGBC chief executive Paul King called for government and industry to both take responsibility for achieving the targey. "Government needs to accept its responsibility to set good policy focusing on outcomes, and in return industry can and must respond and innovate. UK-GBC members are up for ambitious targets on sustainability.

“We need a policy direction that provides sufficient urgency and certainty for investment, and a trajectory that is ambitious and stretching – but ultimately achievable. To make progress on green building we should be bold in our target setting, and work together to overcome the challenges en route."