The building sector is responsible for 37% of energy-related carbon emissions, making the transition to net-zero buildings a crucial response to climate change. To address this urgent need, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in collaboration with Arup and leading property sector practitioners, presents “Achieving net-zero buildings: An action plan for market transformation“. 

Building upon previous WBCSD publications – “Net-zero buildings: Where do we stand ?” and “Net-zero operational carbon buildings: State of the art” – this report provides clear steps to shift the market towards delivering net-zero buildings at scale.

Key highlights include:

• A 12-step action plan for policymakers and industry to create an enabling environment for net-zero operational emissions.
• A call for a fundamental shift from code compliance to a performance-based framework focused on the real energy performance of buildings in operation.
• Guidance for governments on setting national decarbonization pathways, mandating performance disclosure, and implementing minimum performance standards.
• Guidance for industry and NGOs on developing assessment methodologies, building capacity, and adopting consistent net-zero definitions in building certifications.
• Case studies demonstrating practical routes to net-zero across various building types, geographies, and sectors. 

This report is intended for national and regional policymakers, NGOs, industry bodies, the property sector, and academia. It aims to provide evidence of the transition to net-zero buildings in action and supports collaborative efforts to drive change.

For more information about this work, please contact Mert Ogut (ogut@wbcsd.org).