The importance of implementing net zero at the district scale.
The World Green Building Council (WGBC) just launched a revolutionary project calling for all buildings to reach net zero by 2050 in an action plan known as Advancing Net Zero. The announcement provides a shot in the arm to the net-zero design and construction industry at a global level, further increasing the impetus for governments, developers, and service providers to make ambitious net-zero commitments and action plans across the world. But it also requires the industry to confront a long-standing barrier—the assumption that net-zero buildings come at a significantly higher capital cost than business as usual. In fact, when approaching net-zero energy (NZE) at a district level and leveraging an integrative whole-systems design approach, the economics can change significantly, supporting the scaling necessary to reach WGBC’s ambitious targets. So, what will it take for the industry to zoom out of the net-zero-building mindset and think bigger? To understand the opportunity that districts provide, we must first consider the impact potential of the buildings sector.
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