EDGE Buildings 280d ago

The global pursuit of carbon neutrality has emerged as a shared objective among nations, with many issuing detailed roadmaps and long-term action plans. However, under current socio-economic conditions—particularly in emerging markets—achieving large-scale carbon neutrality in the building sector remains a significant challenge. This study systematically reviews and synthesizes recently released standards for net-zero carbon buildings, including ISO’s Climate Change Management — Transition to Net Zero standard and others from the US, UK, ASHRAE, and New York City, examining their associated performance criteria. Through a comparative analysis of key energy use benchmarks and practical implementation considerations, the study identifies a shift from traditional performance evaluations to quantitatively-driven constraints in response to carbon neutrality goals, reflecting and operationalizing the principles outlined by ISO. Based on expert interviews conducted across multiple countries, the research further examines the opportunities and challenges associated with implementing such concepts in emerging markets, providing critical insights into the transition pathways toward a low-carbon built environment. Speakers: Prof. Holly Samuelson Associate Professor of Architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design Yingnan Chu Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Science and Engineering, Harvard Graduate School of Design Diep Ngyuen-van Houtte Senior Manager, Climate Business Department, IFC Ommid Saberi Principal Industry Specialist - Green and Resilient Buildings, IFC Adalberto Guerra Cabrera Technical Lead, EDGE Green Buildings Program, IFC