The Zero Carbon Buildings for All Initiative recently launched at the UN Climate Action Summit will aim for upgrading standards so that all buildings are net zero carbon by 2050.
That goal is in accordance with the goals of the Paris Agreement, but with less than 1% of buildings today having achieved net zero, there is a long way to go. Zero Carbon Buildings for All will look to government, industry, and civil society to secure commitments to decarbonize new buildings by 2030 and existing buildings by 2050. It will also mobilize significant funding (at least $1 trillion in Paris Agreement-compliant buildings investment in developing countries by 2030).
Building operations account for 28% of energy-related CO2 emissions, making them among the largest contributors to climate change. Improving efficiency in buildings is one of the most proven, cost-effective climate mitigation solutions available, according to a statement by Zero Carbon Buildings for All.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Oct 4, 2023
Local officials press California governor for statewide all-electric building mandate
More than two dozen local government officials in California recently signed a letter urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to back a statewide all-electric mandate for all new building construction. This action is needed, the officials say, after a U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling this year nullified the city of Berkeley’s ban on natural gas hookups on new buildings.
Regulations | Oct 4, 2023
New York adopts emissions limits on concrete
New York State recently adopted emissions limits on concrete used for state-funded public building and transportation projects. It is the first state initiative in the U.S. to enact concrete emissions limits on projects undertaken by all agencies, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
Architects | Oct 4, 2023
Architects and contractors underestimate cyberattack risk
Design and construction industry firms underestimate their vulnerability to cyberattacks, according to a new report, Data Resilience in Design and Construction: How Digital Discipline Builds Stronger Firms by Dodge Construction Network and content security and management company Egnyte.
Standards | Sep 25, 2023
Updated specification for PVC exterior profiles on windows, doors, and skylights
The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) updated a specification establishing minimum requirements for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) exterior profiles that are used in windows, doors, and skylights.
Resiliency | Sep 25, 2023
National Institute of Building Sciences, Fannie Mae release roadmap for resilience
The National Institute of Building Sciences and Fannie Mae have released the Resilience Incentivization Roadmap 2.0. The document is intended to guide mitigation investment to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.
Codes and Standards | Sep 25, 2023
Lendlease launches new protocol for Scope 3 carbon reduction
Lendlease unveiled a new protocol to monitor, measure, and disclose Scope 3 carbon emissions and called on built environment industry leaders to tackle this challenge.
Codes and Standards | Sep 25, 2023
Modern codes, construction techniques saved structures in Maui wildfire
Modern building codes and construction techniques were effective in saving buildings from the devastating wildfire in Maui on August 9th, according to a recent report, IBHS Early Insights Lahaina Fire—2023, from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety’s research division.
Mass Timber | Sep 19, 2023
Five Things Construction Specialties Learned from Shaking a 10-Story Building
Construction Specialties (CS) is the only manufacturer in the market that can claim its modular stair system can withstand 100 earthquakes. Thanks to extensive practical testing conducted this spring at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) on the tallest building ever to be seismically tested, CS has identified five significant insights that will impact all future research and development in stair solutions.
Data Centers | Sep 15, 2023
Power constraints are restricting data center market growth
There is record global demand for new data centers, but availability of power is hampering market growth. That’s one of the key findings from a new CBRE report: Global Data Center Trends 2023.
Engineers | Sep 15, 2023
NIST investigation of Champlain Towers South collapse indicates no sinkhole
Investigators from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) say they have found no evidence of underground voids on the site of the Champlain Towers South collapse, according to a new NIST report. The team of investigators have studied the site’s subsurface conditions to determine if sinkholes or excessive settling of the pile foundations might have caused the collapse.
