The first overview of sustainability frameworks for Aotearoa/New Zealand buildings was released last Thursday by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) with the Property Council New Zealand.
The report outlines four frameworks for defining net zero carbon in buildings, which cover: Carbon zero building operations, Living Building Challenge, Zero carbon certification, and Zero Energy certification.
- See the full report here: Ratings Snapshot: Built environment sustainability frameworks commonly used in New Zealand
In line with trends world wide there is a growing need in New Zealand for trusted, independent ratings, standards and frameworks is growing as consumers demand sustainable buildings, and companies are tasked with reporting against climate targets and obligations, the joint report authors say.
The only way to confirm a project complies with a third-party verified sustainability standard or scheme is for it to be certified.
“The built environment is 20 per cent of our emissions,” NZ Green Building Council chief executive Andrew Eagles said.
“It’s really important we get moving on this. The buildings we build are five times our current carbon budget. This snapshot helps lay out the tools available to reduce emissions and improve health, providing an overview of the scope, objectives and governance of each tool.”
Green Star, NABERSNZ and Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) certifications all rely on mechanisms which are repeatable and auditable so the certifications can be trusted as a measure of impact.
The Ratings Snapshot warns against claims of “equivalency”.
“Some projects make claims … that are not independently verifiable or transparent. For example, claims that a project has ‘Green Star equivalence’ or has been ‘designed/built to a high NABERSNZ rating’, or is ‘aligned with the IS Rating Scheme’. These claims are misleading.”
The new sustainability frameworks make it easier for users to navigate towards sustainability while sidestepping these misleading claims.
“There are already great tools available, they’re just not always widely understood,” said Leonie Freeman, Property Council chief executive.
“This is where the Ratings Snapshot comes into play, to help educate the sector on which tools are most appropriate for each property or development.”
Billions of reasons to build better
New research released this week also points out that building green can add to the New Zealand economy.
Leading economic analysts BERL found that building new homes and large offices with significantly reduced carbon emissions “would contribute an additional $147 billion to New Zealand’s GDP” by 2050.
Carbon pollution from construction could be cut by 13 million tonnes, the report, commissioned by NZGBC revealed.
Constructing lower carbon buildings would also support an average additional 46,000 full-time jobs every year between 2025 and 2050, the study found, while electricity demand would be slashed by over 8000 gigawatt hours in 2050 – enough to power millions of electric vehicles each year.
Mr Eagles said: “It’s now clear that there are billions of reasons to build healthier, less polluting homes and buildings in Aotearoa – and to build them as soon as possible.
“A massive economic boon, big reduction in carbon emissions, and lower household bills – the reasons for building cleaner are now clear.”
He also slammed the NZ government on delays to improving the country’s Building Code.
And earlier this year, NZ government officials announced a delay in planned improvements to home insulation which would have made homes warmer, drier and reduce electricity use by 40 per cent.
New frameworks
NZGBC’s Ratings Snapshot overview includes four frameworks for defining net zero carbon in buildings.
- Carbon zero building operations
The assessment process begins with the project being registered with NZGBC. Then documents are submitted with:
- emissions calculators
- carbon reduction plan
- public disclosure template, with supporting evidence
Once checks are completed, documents are audited. Carbon offsets are procured to offset the residual emissions of the building operations. Certification is valid for 12 months.
- Living Building Challenge
The assessment process includes onsite and document verification performed by an independent, licensed auditor. It is based on a minimum of 12 months’ data of the project once occupied.
- Zero carbon certification
The assessment process includes 12 months’ worth of information submitted to the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) for assessment.
- Zero Energy certification
The assessment process includes documents submitted to ILFI, and a third-party audit is conducted. Zero Energy certification is awarded through a two-step process with a ready audit upon completion of construction and a final audit after a 12-month performance period.
The ratings snapshot is designed to be widely used by developers, builders, architects, engineers, and advisors.