Energy Transition in Buildings: How to Achieve Net-Zero?

The UK is firmly committed to achieving net-zero emissions by the year 2050. This ambitious goal necessitates significant efforts to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and offset any remaining emissions through carbon mitigation and absorption measures.

As a facilities manager or owner, it’s crucial to recognize the direct impact of this framework on your operations. Staying abreast of available options and solutions is essential for maximizing facility performance while simultaneously reducing emissions.

In our previous article, we explored some of the benefits of Smart Buildings. Today, we delve into the current state of the country’s net-zero efforts, the path ahead, and strategies that organisations can employ to reach this pivotal goal through their building infrastructure.

The Paris Agreement and the Imperative of Energy Transition

Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is the Paris Agreement? It stands as an internationally binding treaty on climate change, adopted by 196 Parties during COP21 in Paris on December 12, 2015. Coming into force on November 4, 2016, it has superseded the Kyoto Protocol to become the principal global framework for tackling climate change.

As you’re likely aware, the primary driver of climate change is the greenhouse effect. While many greenhouse gases occur naturally, human activities have significantly raised the concentration of some, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂), in the atmosphere. The aim of energy transition is to revamp our energy systems by championing renewable sources, embracing the circular economy, and implementing other strategies to reduce emissions.

The Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol

One of the most notable differences between the two lies in their approach to assigning responsibilities.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, only developed countries were required to reduce their emissions by an average of 5% annually between 2008 and 2012, compared to emission levels from 1990, which served as the baseline.

The Paris Agreement not only calls for efforts from developed countries but also aims primarily to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

To achieve this goal, it is crucial to reduce emissions by approximately 45% by 2030 and achieve emission neutrality or net-zero by 2050. The following graph illustrates the annual global temperature variation between 1880 and 2023 (in degrees Celsius).

Mitigation Actions for Global Warming in the UK

To avert a climate emergency and achieve its 2050 target, the UK government has pledged to pursue a series of ambitious initiatives. For instance, it aims to attain entirely “clean” electricity by 2035 through the rapid expansion of wind, solar, and nuclear power. Additionally, it intends to capture and store between 20 and 30 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030, alongside targeting the installation of 600,000 electric heat pumps per year by 2028. The UK has already made considerable strides in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, with a nearly 50% decrease since 1990.

Despite its relatively strong past performance, in June 2023, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the government’s independent advisers, issued a stark caution about the “worryingly slow” progress. 

Looking ahead, it’s evident that the UK’s climate goals require additional actions and a strong commitment from the public administration, the private sector, and society as a whole.

This commitment entails scaling up renewable energy capacity to reach 100% by 2050. This ambition goes beyond merely expanding capacity; it’s about fundamentally reshaping how we generate, distribute, and consume energy, leading to a decisive transition toward decarbonization and energy conservation. At the same time, it’s crucial for organisations to ensure compliance with energy efficiency regulations, standards, and certifications.

Buildings and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In Europe, roughly 75% of buildings are classified as energy inefficient. Additionally, these structures account for 37% of global carbon emissions. Conversely, about 40% of the energy produced across Europe is directed towards fulfilling the energy demands of residential, commercial, and institutional buildings.

These statistics are indeed alarming. However, they also highlight the immense potential that buildings hold in mitigating climate change and playing a significant role in attaining the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), direct CO2 emissions from buildings (stemming from sources owned or controlled by the organisation) must be reduced by 50% by 2030, while indirect emissions (arising from the organisation’s operations, yet originating from a source not directly owned by the organisation) should see a 60% reduction. This necessitates an annual decrease in emissions of 6% until 2030, ultimately leading to emissions neutrality within the sector by 2050.

You might be wondering how buildings can meet these ambitious targets. To address this question, we need to consider two key concepts:

• Operational carbon
• Embodied carbon.

You can delve deeper on our blog.