4 minute read
CaGBC’s updated Zero Carbon Building Standard fast-tracks carbon reductions by balancing rigour and flexibility
By Mark Hutchinson
In this critical decade for climate change, which calls for urgent and sustained action in order to achieve Canada’s carbon targets, zero carbon buildings represent the best opportunity for cost-effective emissions reductions. At the same time, investments in zero carbon buildings will generate opportunities for innovation and job creation. To take advantage of these opportunities and future-proof Canada’s cities and communities, industry and governments must adopt low-carbon strategies now.
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With the newly released Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard v2, CaGBC is striking a balance between rigour and flexibility to help advance the goal of decarbonizing Canada’s built environment by 2050. Version 2 offers a more flexible approach to enable a greater number of buildings to reach zero carbon, while at the same time, it raises the bar on emission reductions and promotes innovation in design, building materials and technology.
CaGBC launched the made-in-Canada ZCB Standard in 2017 to provide a path for both new and existing buildings to reach zero. Since then, more than 30 real-world projects have registered to pursue certification – either in design or in full operation – across a wide spectrum of building types, including schools, offices, multi-residential, commercial, and even industrial buildings. Eleven projects have already certified.
Version 2 draws from the learnings of these projects as well as from consultations with building industry experts, government and academia, all of which demonstrated that the building industry is ready to raise the bar on expanded requirements for embodied carbon and energy efficiency. At the same time, the updated Standard aims to get more buildings to zero, faster, by providing more options for different design strategies and by recognizing high-quality carbon offsets when necessary.
What’s new in v2: Embodied carbon, new tools, more innovation
The ZCB Standard provides two pathways for any type of building to get to zero carbon. ZCB-Design guides the design of new buildings, as well as the retrofit of existing structures, while ZCB-Performance provides a framework for verifying that buildings achieve zero carbon annually.
The updates introduced in ZCB Standard v2 focus on the following key components:
Embodied carbon:
Projects must now account for and offset carbon emissions across the entire project life-cycle, including those associated with the manufacture, use and even end of life of construction materials.
Refrigerants:
The Standard also tackles refrigerants like those used in heat pumps. While heat pumps are extremely efficient and run on electricity, the refrigerants in most heat pumps are “near-term climate forcers” – greenhouse gases that last a short time in the atmosphere but trap a lot of heat, helping accelerate the impact of climate change. ZCB Standard v2 encourages the implementation of best-management practices to minimize potential leaks, and any leaks that might occur must be offset.
Energy efficiency:
ZCB Standard v2 promotes the efficient use of clean energy sources with more stringent energy efficiency requirements. At the same time, the addition of energy efficiency options that recognize different design strategies ensures that all projects have a path to zero.
Airtightness:
ZCB Standard v2 also introduces a requirement for airtightness testing that is intended to drive improvements in the energy efficiency of the building envelope.
Impact and innovation:
ZCB-Design Standard v2 encourages new technologies and design approaches by requiring projects to demonstrate two impactful and innovative strategies to reduce carbon emissions. Applicants can propose their own strategies, providing broad flexibility while helping to build skills and develop markets for low-carbon products and services.
Carbon offsets:
ZCB Standard v2 allows for the purchase of high-quality carbon offsets, opening the door for more projects to achieve zero.
New tools:
To aid projects, the ZCB Standard v2 also introduces new tools and resources, including helpful reporting workbooks, an embodied carbon reporting template and a lifecycle cost calculator. The Standard also includes resources and case studies.
A way to begin future-proofing cities and communities
The updates in ZCB Standard v2 are designed to fast-track the decarbonization of Canada’s built environment, with a proven path forward for the building industry. Given the long lifespan of buildings, it’s critical that zero-carbon construction and renovation projects start today – Canada cannot wait if it hopes to meet its carbon targets.
To learn more, visit cagbc.org/zerocarbon.
Mark Hutchinson is Vice President, Green Building Programs, Canada Green Building Council.
Scotia Plaza’s 40 King St. W. in Toronto is ZCB-Performance v2 certified. Photo: KingSett Capital.
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