The United Nations Joint Task Force on Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings, established in 2015, published updated guidelines in September, hoping to begin the process of developing international standards for energy consumption in buildings.
The report, titled Updated Framework Guidelines for Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings, issued under the banner of the UN Economic and Social Council, says there must be sustainability improvements to new construction projects and to the inventory of existing buildings, particularly in developed regions.
“In the developed world, buildings consume over 70 per cent of the electrical power generated and 40 per cent of primary energy and are responsible for 40 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions from related fuel combustion,” the report says. “While developing countries will need to accommodate 2.4 billion new urban residents by 2050, in Europe 75 to 90 per cent of buildings standing today are expected to remain in use in 2050.”
The UN report recognizes the process governing building design itself must change. They say this will require, “a holistic, systems approach to building design, delivery and operation and a paradigm that envisions buildings as energy producers and not solely or primarily as energy sinks.”
Echoing the position taken by recognized energy efficiency organizations like Passive House, the UN report says future building energy requirements could, in fact, be supplied largely, even exclusively, by non-carbon-based energy using technology already available today.
This would require adherence to key principles emerging from building science, materials science, digital science and information and communication technology. Furthermore, government policies and project financing outlooks must adapt to recognize the value of better buildings and to encourage low carbon emissions and low energy consumption.
The UN Joint Task Force is not alone in its optimism when it says this result could be achieved, “at costs equal or close to those of traditional buildings.”
A group of seven international experts, including Rob Bernhardt of Passive House Canada, released their own academic paper in mid-October, Advances Towards a Net-Zero Global Building Sector. They present the premise that, “it is possible to achieve net or nearly zero energy building outcomes across the world in most building types and climates with systems, technologies, and skills that already exist, and at costs that are in the range of conventional buildings.”
At the same time, however, the authors take issue with the carbon reduction scenarios offered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and committed to in January 2020 by nearly two dozen countries and many more regions and municipalities.
They say that the proposed IPCC scenarios would require measures founded on, “a drastic decrease in energy demand” and would entail “substantial risk.” Instead, the authors believe addressing the heating and cooling needs of buildings through enhanced design could result in a “several-fold decrease in emissions and energy consumption…while maintaining or improving the level of energy services provided.”
Like the UN Joint Task Force report, these international authors look beyond meeting global carbon-neutral objectives solely through new projects. They recognize the importance of improving the energy performance of the existing building stock as well.
“The long turnover rates in the building sector, especially in developed countries where the majority of the buildings determining mid-century emissions already stand, needs accelerated deep energy retrofit programs.”
In addition to changes in government policies and incentives, and new outlooks on financing, initiatives are needed to increase and improve education and communication among all players in the construction project command chain.
“A significant gap and time lag exist between the work of professionals, the industry and policy leaders and its scientific documentation.”
They even admit to confusion regarding clear terms defining globally shared objectives.
“The authors have not found a definition of zero-carbon buildings in the scientific literature.”
Nevertheless, the message to the construction industry is clear: Change is on the way. It will take form in policies, standards and building codes that will ultimately reward those willing to adapt.
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