Net Zero Implementation Pathways: New Developments

Globally, approximately 38% of energy related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributed to the building industry, with 28% deriving from building operation and 10% from the materials used in their construction and maintenance. To achieve net zero emissions by 2050 globally and in the UK, this decade must be spent at least halving emissions by 2030 from business as usual. These reductions must be applied across the entire building systems value chain, and taking a whole carbon lifecycle approach.

We are introducing these Net Zero Implementation Pathway guidance documents, to help Towns consider the pathway to implementation (including monitoring and evaluation) that lead to the best outcome from a net zero perspective. They intend to help you understand what you need to be thinking about at each stage of the lifecycle, who you need to engage, and what best practice and standards look like.

This document, the first in the series, sets out some guidance to ensure that towns in the UK are building and maintaining new developments in an environmentally and socially just way, not only to reduce emissions and build resilience to the worsening effects of climate change, but to boost local economies and create thriving, healthy communities.