An important aspect of change needed to achieve the UK’s 2050 target is the practical actions to ensure buildings maintain a net zero trajectory over their operational lifetime.

An emerging finding of the current UKGBC Commercial Retrofit project is the significance of optimisation. On average, almost one third reduction in EUI can be achieved through optimisation alone (i.e., ensuring the building systems and appliances are operating as efficiently and effectively as possible, and that their operation more accurately aligns with building use – i.e., operating hours and zoning etc).

While technological solutions play an important part, increased awareness and closer collaboration are essential to ensure building systems can be optimised holistically, with positive impacts on occupant comfort. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence on how optimisation can be achieved but a lack of tangible evidence that illustrates the most common issues and supports understanding of how to resolve them for the long term.

Objectives

Using UKGBC’s Learning Lab format, this project will explore the challenges and solutions associated with reducing and eliminating inefficiencies to drive down energy consumption. It will share the learnings, outcomes, and solutions identified and deepen our shared understanding of how inefficiencies stem from the way buildings currently operate. Key issues that could be investigated include:

• Lack of transparency of data, especially energy usage.
• Inappropriate metering of energy.
• Lack of detailed understanding of how building systems operate.
• Split incentives between landlord and tenant.
• Lack of collaboration between landlord and tenant over energy efficiency.
• Facilities managers not incentivised or empowered to reduce energy consumption.

There are technological solutions to these issues, but at the core is a need to collaboratively take action and facilitate increased awareness, so that building systems can be optimised holistically, for the long term.

Anticipated outcomes:

• Compendium of experience of how to optimise buildings’ energy use
• Toolkit to support optimisation activities, including the soft skills needed to support mutually beneficial relationships and
  collaboration between key stakeholders (tenant, landlord, facilities manager etc)
• Increased knowledge and skills base to encourage a focus on optimisation opportunities and solutions
• Insights into the most appropriate interventions in different situations
• A shift in thinking that supports an iterative, long-term approach to optimising performance.

Project Partnership is open to UKGBC members only. Learn more about what it means to be a member and the opportunities it provides you here.

Learn more about UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero Programme here.

Advancing Net Zero Partners

Our climate change mitigation work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our Advancing Net Zero Programme Partners

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• Hotels: High energy usage, high level of duplication of specific examples (chain hotels), high number of touch points to potentially influence public awareness.
• Schools: High potential for social value, education and community engagement, energy costs and poorly maintained facilities are a significant challenge for many schools.
• Higher Education facilities: High synergy with offices, opportunity for education and more in-depth research collaboration
• Public buildings: Libraries, Leisure Centres, Local Authority offices, etc.
• Retail: Supermarkets etc

Objectives

• To deepen awareness and understanding amongst investors, owners, managers, designers, and consultants of the carbon
  and cost-effectiveness of different retrofit measures to inform planned upgrades to existing non-domestic assets, and,
• Explore how to overcome common challenges to maximise compliance with future regulations and to meet the likely
  ambition behind emerging net zero carbon performance targets.

Outline

1. Develop a suite of evidence that explores and provides the cost, operational energy efficiency potential, and
   embodied carbon impact, as well as any co-benefits associated with common retrofit measures for different
   types of properties, to offer a path of sequential design, operational, and management solutions to set buildings
   on a path to close the gap to net zero carbon.
2. Focus on one or more non-domestic building typologies based on age, specification standard, HVAC system, and
   lease type, etc. to explore the variety of different challenges faced by stakeholders looking to decarbonise
   their/their clients’ assets.
3. Collate real-world examples of retrofit measures (light, deep, optimisation focused), to illustrate and compare
   the true impact of different retrofit solutions that facilitate the transition towards net zero, showcasing effective
   outcomes alongside lessons learnt

Project Partnership is open to UKGBC members only. Learn more about what it means to be a member and the opportunities it provides you here.

Learn more about UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero Programme here.

Advancing Net Zero Partners

Our climate change mitigation work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our Advancing Net Zero Programme Partners

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This is a critical time for climate action. In the most recent assessment of risks the UK faces from climate-related hazards, over 60% were given the highest urgency score, a staggering increase in urgency compared to the previous assessment. Destructive climate impacts and extreme weather changes will affect all members of our society, devastate lives and livelihoods, and have a detrimental impact on the buildings, infrastructure and environments that keep us secure from hazards such as flooding and overheating.  However, as noted in the Climate Change Committee’s Investment for a well-adapted UK report, the UK currently lacks associated targets or goals for resilience standards at a national, local or sectoral level – the government’s third National Adaptation Plan released earlier this week highlighted the urgent need for collaboration, research and increased ambition for climate resilience in the UK.

 

Following on from UKGBC’s previous work around climate resilience and adaptation, we aim to work with the built environment industry to co-create a sector roadmap for climate resilience in the built environment. By developing science-driven, industry-wide targets to be achieved in the short, medium and longer term, this project could help to fill the urgent and critical gap identified by the CCC – investing in and optimising our built environment for a climate resilient future. This project will follow a similar path of UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap project which provided both the industry and government a common vision and agreed actions for achieving net zero carbon in the built environment.

Explore our work on Climate Change Adaptation

UKGBC is looking for organisations wanting to drive forward adaptation and climate resilience action in the built environment to become Project Partners for the Resilience Roadmap. As a project partner, you will be able to take a steering role on the project, be credited with the creation of the roadmap and secure a position on the task group, amongst other benefits. It’s a role best suited for organisations who are already active in the climate adaptation space and are looking to collaborate with other leaders from across industry.

To learn more about Project Partnership and apply, download our call for applications.

Project Partnership is open to UKGBC members only. Learn more about what it means to be a member and the opportunities it provides you here.

Applications will be open until the 8^th September. There will be additional opportunities for individuals to be involved from September onwards, including applications for a Task Group and a wider industry consultation in the new year.

Resilience & Nature Partners

Our climate change adaptation work is supported by our Resilience & Nature Partners.

Climate Change Adaptation

As the climate crisis intensifies and extreme weather events become more common, the UK’s buildings, cities and critical infrastructure, and the communities that use and occupy these, are in increasing danger. It’s vital to address how our buildings and infrastructure can be adapted to remain fit for the future.

View more

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Building on The Value of Urban Nature-Based Solutions report released last year, this project will provide built environment stakeholders with the opportunity to work through some of challenges and solutions of implementing nature-based solutions in an urban context.

Acknowledging that many practitioners are facing similar challenges, the NBS Labs are a place for learning and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, specifically around maintenance and stewardship, as well as existing buildings and retrofit. You will be able to share your learnings and challenges as well as learn from others who are facing similar issues. In addition, a programme of external speakers who are experts on the topic will offer insights into the state of the art and best practice of urban nature-based solutions. Key findings and insights from these sessions will be shared in a summary output.

Currently, UKGBC has opened applications for both general participants and project partnership.

To facilitate this series of workshops, UKGBC is opening the opportunity for several member organisations to be involved as key Project Partners. This is a level of commitment above a standard participant and comes with a host of benefits. In addition to attendance to all sessions, partners will be credited with enabling the project, get priority access to all speaking opportunities related to the project and will take a steering role, helping to shape any associated outputs, alongside other benefits. It’s a role best suited for UKGBC members with experience and understanding of implementing Nature Based Solutions.

To learn more about the NBS Labs & Project Partnership and apply for either role, download the Call for Applications below.

Project Partnership is open to UKGBC members only. Learn more about what it means to be a member and the opportunities it provides you here.

Applications close on the 8^th September. If you have any enquiries about the project, please email kai.liebetanz@ukgbc.org.

Nature Programme Partners

With thanks to our programme partners who make our work on nature possible.

Nature

Nature is in crisis.  The built environment has a critical role to play in protecting and restoring nature and moving to a regenerative model of development.

View more

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UKGBC Learning & Development

UKGBC is highly regarded as a frontrunner in learning and leadership in the built environment. And we have bold aspirations for the future.

As the ambition of our members to respond to the climate and ecological crisis grows, so does the need for UKGBC to provide relevant, topical and practical learning resources and programmes across the spectrum of learning needs – from level one learners right through to C-suite leaders.

Here at UKGBC, we’re seeking to build out our learning resources and programmes, and to do that most effectively, we need input from our members.

Purpose of this group

This Focus Group will support the UKGBC Learning and Development team by:

• Providing insight into the learning needs of members, highlighting knowledge gaps.
• Assisting UKGBC in staying ahead on innovation and evolving best practice.
• Offer feedback on learning formats and opportunities for membership engagement.
• Recommend case studies, stories and exciting solutions to support UKGBC’s learning resources.
• Highlighting speakers/presenters/facilitators for programmes across the learning spectrum.
• Share external learning resources and programmes linked to UKGBC’s mission.

G E T I N V O L V E D

Want to Get Involved?

We’re looking for UKGBC members who have some experience in learning and development – either within an organization or as a learning and development consultant.

Download the Call for Applications

Use this document to apply, emailing UKGBC’s learning team with the enclosed form.

Download

Learn more about our Learning and Development work

Get to grips with our full learning and development work before applying.

Explore

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The Academic Research Forum aims to increase the knowledge and collaboration across the built environment, by re-igniting our work with academic researchers. Our forums are member-led, and by leveraging the power of UKGBC to bring stakeholders together, our members can work on their key challenges alongside other motivated parties.

About the Forum

Academic research provides invaluable insights and evidence into why and how we can work towards addressing the climate and ecological crises. UKGBC’s Academic Research Forum brings together academic institutions from across its membership to share scientific and social research that can accelerate the transition to a more sustainable built environment.

The purpose of the forum is to:

• Strengthen the links between academia and the built environment industry.
• Ensure that UKGBC’s major programmes and projects are connected with, and supported by, latest academic research in those fields.
• Identify research gaps and challenges in need of addressing to help accelerate the sustainability of the built environment.
• Build a network of, and provide a collaborative space for, researchers and universities passionate about sustainability within the built environment.

Upcoming Academic Research Forums

The Forum is open to UKGBC academia and university members and runs twice a year, online:

1. Academic Research Forum: Climate Resilience – 24th May 12:30 – 13:30.
   This Forum will help inform UKGBC’s Climate Resilience and Nature Programme, specifically, our work towards defining a “Resilience Roadmap” for the UK built environment – a project due to begin in summer 2023.
   
2. Academic Research Forum: Hard to Recycle Materials – 14th November 2023 (10-11:30am)
   This forum aims to enhance our efforts in the Circular Economy by focusing on materials that have proven to be a challenge. The event will foster increased awareness of understanding and methods needed for effectively applying circular economy principles to the specific needs of the Built Environment.

Previous Academic Research Forums

The Academic Research Forum is an evolution of UKGBC’s previously run Universities Research Forum. You can find written summaries of previous Universities Research Forum events below:

• Write-up of the Universities Research Forum on Nature Based Solutions (held in 2017)
• Write-up of the Universities Research Forum on Social Value Measurement (held in 2018)
• Write-up of the Universities Research Forum on Advancing Net Zero (held in 2019)

Get Involved

Learn more about the forum and sign up now by talking to our UKGBC representatives.

Macarena Cárdenas Research and Insights Advisor

macarena.cardenas@ukgbc.org

Emily-Rose Garnett Solutions and Innovation Advisor

emily-rose.garnett@ukgbc.org

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Therefore, we’re asking for our members and the wider industry to submit challenges to us that we may be able to use to crowd source for solutions. Your challenge must be related to UKGBC’s impact areas.

Please fill in the form below:

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About the Forum

As the Net Zero Solutions Forum takes continues to take shape throughout 2023, it will have four topics as its focus: Organisational Commitments (Race to Zero, World GBC etc), Retrofit, Finance + Value, and Whole Life Carbon implementation.

The forum is founded on the following broad principles:

– Solutions focused: the forum should actively create, promote, and share solutions to delivering net zero carbon buildings at scale.

– Peer-to-peer learning: the forum should encourage the sharing of strategies to help deliver net zero, including organisational net zero commitments.

– Advocate: the forum should use its collective strength to demonstrate leadership on net zero in the construction and property sector

Format of the Forum 

Each event, both online and in-person, will follow the same base structure: 

1. Opening presentation and group discussion 

• A UKGBC member has the opportunity to bring forward either a successful implemented solution or a challenge that they’d like to work on with the forum. 
• 30 minutes to present, go into depth, and have a group wide discussion. 

2. Breakout groups for the four main topics 

• The forum then splits into five groups, one for the four main topics (Commitments, Retrofit, Finance, and WLC implementation), and a “free-for-all” space where members can bring items that don’t fit into the other four. 
• Each group will have a UKGBC member as Chair, who can facilitate and support the consistency of conversation across multiple forum meetings. 

3. Reconvene as an overall group to overview and discuss any topics to work on before the next forum meeting. 

Upcoming meetings and how to get involved  

Forum meetings take place roughly every six weeks, alternating between in-person and online events. In line with our ambition to create a national UKGBC network, our in-person meetings will rotate around several locations: 

Get involved

Learn more about the forum and sign up now by talking to our UKGBC representatives.

Alex Benstead Advancing Net Zero Advisor

Email Alex

Emily Dodkin Project Coordinator: Advancing Net Zero

Email Emily

Advancing Net Zero Partners

Our climate change mitigation work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our Advancing Net Zero Programme Partners

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Submitting a solution

Anyone, not just UKGBC members, can submit a solution to our Solutions library. They must be best practice in tackling at least one of our impact areas (Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation, Resource Use, Nature, and Health, Wellbeing & Social Value) and scalable now.

Once submitted, it’ll be reviewed by our Solutions and Innovation Advisory Group for suitability, before being uploaded.

Submitting a case study

Only UKGBC members may submit a case study to our library. These built case studies must be already built, or in construction, and demonstrate best practice in at least one of our impact areas (Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation, Resource Use, Nature, and Health, Wellbeing & Social Value).

If you’re a member who is interested in showcasing longer case studies in a blog or news article as well as through the library, please email us.

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While recognising that designing for reductions in whole life carbon and improvements in energy efficiency are the most important steps to prioritise in decarbonising buildings, responsibly offsetting residual emissions remains a critical component of achieving net zero. However, when used irresponsibly, carbon offsets can increase exposure to greenwashing and result in detrimental impacts on climate action.

Current challenges with the UK’s un-regulated Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) means it is difficult to assess what is a ‘high-quality’ offset and will deliver positive outcomes and what will not. For the VCM to succeed, and for the planet to benefit from the responsible use of carbon offsets, it is vital that industry has access to clear guidance, alongside an effective global governance system.

Project Overview

This project will build on UKGBC’s Renewable Energy Procurement and Carbon Offsetting guidance. It aims to better equip those who purchase offsets or make investment decisions at building asset or organisational level to do so in a way that aligns with their climate goals and supports the transition to net zero.

Scope

Initial feedback suggests the project scope will cover:

1. What is a market-leading approach to offsetting? What can I do to avoid being acused of ‘greenwashing’?

Ensuring greater consistency in how carbon pricing and offsetting is carried out and remains transparent without ‘greenwashing’. Elaborate on the recommended use of transition funds, such as investment in:

• Greenhouse gas removals with short and long-term storage (following Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting)
• Local offsetting (at a UK- or urban- scale) and projects with high co-benefits

This should include the exploration of attitudes towards vintage (year of actual emissions reduction/removal), insetting (investments in decarbonising value chain) and offsetting scope 3 emissions.

2. Does UKGBC guidance align with emerging Standards and Guidance?

Identify where UKGBC guidance could support and align with emerging governance and codes of practise, such as ICVCM (Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Market), VCMI (VCM Integrity Initiative) and NZCBS (Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard).

3. What is Internal Carbon Pricing and how can it help me?

Explore the interface between carbon pricing and offsetting, including the pros and cons of adopting an internal carbon price (ICP) and the mechanisms that could be adopted on an asset or orgaisational level – including internal fees and shadow prices.

• Guide organisations towards how to set a carbon price and the need to consider wider market, policy and legislative factors
• How voluntary ICPs differ from compliance-based carbon pricing, e.g. Section 106 payments or Emissions Trading Systems.

It is important to note that the project scope is still evolving and will be refined to effectively respond to stakeholders’ experiences in purchasing offsets and implementing carbon pricing in line with the existing guidance.

How to get involved

We are taking expressions of interest from potential Working Group members over the next few weeks. The deadline is Tuesday 21^st  February 2023.

This opportunity is ideal for organisations that want to purchase high-quality offsets for built assets or advise clients on offsetting strategies. Involvement in this project should also provide organisations with a developed understanding of the Voluntary Carbon Market and Internal Carbon Pricing.

We expect working group members to have working knowledge or thought leadership in:

• Purchasing offsets
• Setting an internal carbon price using internal fee or shadow price (or other) mechanisms
• Oxford Offsetting principles and carbon removals with long-term storage
• “Local” or UK-based offsetting

Please contact the ANZ Team if you meet this criteria and would like to express your interest in joining the Working Group, or if you would simply like to stay up to date with the project. Working group participants will be given priority if they are part of UKGBC member organisations.

Timelines

The following dates will be targeted for working group meetings:

It is anticipated a draft update of the guidance will be written by end of April and formally launched in Summer 2023.

This project forms part of UKGBC’s Advancing Net Zero Programme, which has been made possible this year thanks to the generous support of our Programme Partners: BAM Construct UK, Berkeley Group, Buro Happold, CBRE, Grosvenor Property UK, Hoare Lea, ISG, JLL, Lloyds Banking Group, ROCKWOOL, Turner & Townsend, and Project Partner: Arup.

UKGBC is committed to actively targeting a diverse representation in the composition of all project groups. We want to be inclusive to everyone regardless of ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs and encourage our members to support our desire. While applicants will be chosen based on their experience, we encourage consideration of the above when putting forward individuals to apply.

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