Last week, a pilot version of the UK’s first cross-industry Standard for net zero carbon-aligned buildings was launched. Leading organisations BBP, BRE, the Carbon Trust, CIBSE, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS, and UKGBC have joined forces to champion this initiative.
The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (“the Standard”) is a free-to-access technical standard enabling the built environment to prove that built assets align with the UK’s carbon and energy budgets. Until now, there has been no single, agreed methodology for defining what ‘net zero carbon’ means for buildings in the UK. Consequently, the area has been rife with spurious claims around the topic. The Standard provides a set of consistent rules to create a level playing field around such claims.
The Standard is for anyone who wants to fund, procure, design, or specify a net zero carbon building and definitively demonstrate that their building is aligned with this standard. As a robust industry-backed initiative, the Standard should be useful to policymakers as it outlines what is needed to support the UK’s net zero carbon transition.
The Standard’s mandatory building performance and construction quality requirements are ambitious but achievable. They cover upfront carbon, operational energy use, avoidance of fossil fuel use on-site, renewables and refrigerants.
The pilot version contains the technical details on how a building should meet the Standard, including what limits and targets it needs to meet, the technical evidence needed to demonstrate this, and how it should be reported.
The built environment industry is encouraged to use the pilot version to prepare for verifying buildings as net zero carbon aligned. View the Pilot version overview here.
Many existing industry schemes are driving towards the same goals as the Standard.
Sonia Murton, Managing Director, Westbury FM said:
“When the time is right, we will ensure that we align with this standard for our clients. At Westbury FM, we know that facilities management is about more than maintenance; it’s about managing your energy use, too.
With our clever technology platform and expert people, we already confront energy challenges head-on, unlocking the power of data to deliver demonstrable savings of up to £8 per £1 invested for your organisation.
We currently embrace a data-driven approach to simplify the complexities of energy and property management. From initial data collection to ongoing strategic advice, our user-friendly dashboards and comprehensive reports deliver insightful data and advice, empowering you to understand your site’s performance, conduct cost reviews, and identify opportunities to enhance your estate’s efficiency.“

What We Do
Delivered by our team of energy and data experts we make the steps to collect and use your energy data easy:
- COLLATE – We source your energy data from main and sub-meters, building assets, sensors, weather and other operational variables.
- VISUALISE – Benchmark the performance of your estate and conduct cost analysis via user-friendly dashboards and reports.
- IMPLEMENT – Design and deliver strategic solutions, including LED lighting and EV charging, driving cost savings and compliance.
By taking a service-led, technology-enabled approach, we excel at caring for and maintaining buildings, always putting our customers’ needs first.
Get in touch to speak to us directly or request a callback with one of our knowledgeable customer care team about how we can help support your business and operation.
Westbury FM has secured a spot in The Sunday Times 100 2024 – the annual ranking of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies. The league table takes on the baton from The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 series, celebrating the country’s leading entrepreneurs for 24 years.