The Max Fordham Beyond Net Zero whitepaper
UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard - evolving best practice. A demonstrator project by Buttress, Max Fordham and Price & Myers
We have been committed to net zero carbon since 2020. It's no easy task, and we want to be open about the challenges and our learning on this journey. We continue to pilot, support and test the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (NZCBS) and our current ambition is for all our projects to meet the new NZCBS. Max Fordham is currently working on multiple projects included in the pilot version of the standard.
Over the past year, Max Fordham, Buttress, Price & Myers came together to collaborate on a demonstrator project focusing on the embodied carbon impact on the residential sector and the means by which compliance with the standard could be achieved. The full study can be downloaded below.
What is the NZCBS?
The UK NZCBS is the UK’s first cross-industry standard that brings together net zero carbon requirements for all major building types and functions as a set of guidelines and criteria to help the built environment in the UK achieve net zero carbon emissions. The standard focuses on reducing carbon emissions associated with both the operational and embodied carbon of buildings.
It applies to both new and existing buildings across 13 sectors in the UK and sets out clear requirements for:
The pilot version of the standard includes a detailed technical specification that can already be integrated into project briefs and used on live projects. Pilot testing began in early 2025 to gather industry feedback on the Standard’s practical application.
38%
The construction industry is responsible for 38% of carbon emissions in the UK.
2050
To meet the 2050 climate target and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we must go beyond current building regulations.
6–11%
Research by the UK Green Building Council shows that high-performing developments can attract 6–11% higher rental value.
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The first Passivhaus development of its kind in the UK, Agar Grove has meaningfully tackled fuel poverty by reducing residents’ fuel bills by 70% and has influenced changes to the London Plan in relation to district heat networks. Pictured is phase 1c
©Francesco Montaguti
The Agar Grove development led the way in large scale Passivhaus certified homes. The redevelopment of the estate helped to set a new standard for social housing. Pictured is phase 1c
©Francesco Montaguti
Why and how?
The team tested the new standard against existing building forms, which we know showcase commercially viable sustainability features. We've found that while net zero is achievable, it is far from easy. It is, and should be, challenging.
We created a demonstrator project to provide a complete view of the upfront embodied carbon impact associated with the building case study to establish which ‘target year’ set by the NZCBS could realistically be met using currently available materials, methods and assessment frameworks.
The embodied carbon assessment was calculated using a range of tools and indices, varying between disciplines. One Click LCA (Lifetime Carbon Assessment) was used as the primary assessment tool. The software offered a comprehensive framework for assessing the building’s upfront embodied carbon footprint.
The aims
The aim of the study was to establish the extent to which the targets set for embodied carbon in the UK NZCBS can be applied to a typical multi-storey residential development under 18m in height.
We wanted to test the boundaries of what is achievable - and how far we could go in meeting the NZCBS targets using the tools available. We tried to answer the following questions:
- What a realistic embodied carbon figure is utilising today’s technology, materials and methods for construction.
- How this figure sits against the limits set by the standard and which year projected by the standard is currently achievable.
- How much headway this gives the wider construction industry in aligning to the future limits and whether the targets are aspirational without a fundamental shift in material technology, specification and manufacturing processes.
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© Francesco Montaguti
Our findings
The total embodied carbon for the building study comes to 441.7 kgCO2e/m².
When measured against the limits set within the UK NZCBS this figure meets the 2028 target which is set at 450 kgCO2e/m².
There are varying opportunities for reducing embodied carbon as laid out in the report which can be downloaded below.
What can we do about the embodied carbon of MEP equipment?
While there is much still to learn about MEP embodied carbon, we believe there are certain things that design teams can do on every project that can help to reduce the services impact:
- Create a heat-source option study that engages in whole-life carbon balancing of upfront carbon, refrigerant leakage, and operational carbon associated with heating and cooling energy use.
- Utilise a wholesale energy strategy, carbon comparison finding the lowest whole life carbon solution (e.g. ambient loop w/WSHPs vs exhaust air heat pumps vs. HIUs /underfloor heating, etc.)
- Target very low operational demand, which requires the minimum size and quantity of MEP equipment, i.e. lean design
- Undertake an optimising exercise looking at risers and equipment locations to minimise duct and pipe runs
- Carefully consider the electrical design to minimise the length and diameter of the largest sub-mains cables
- Factor in knock-on effects of building services options to ensure comparisons are holistic (i.e. floor-zone depths and allowable structural systems (raised access floors and plenum distribution, storey heights and façade/structural impacts, etc.)
- Enable the reuse of MEP equipment-use existing equipment and specify products designed with circularity in mind for refurbishment/upgrade.
UK NZCBS: your questions answered
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The built environment is responsible for around 38% of the UK’s carbon emissions. To meet the 2050 climate target and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we must go beyond current building regulations. But the benefits go beyond emissions:
• Customers are actively seeking environmentally responsible choices and are often willing to pay more for them.
• Investors increasingly prioritise long-term, sustainable projects with credible strategies
• Adopting the standard now can ensure that buildings meet both current and future regulations, future-proofing your buildings
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Referencing a pilot study undertaken by the UK Green Building Council, a capital uplift is identified as:
• 3.5% for residential projects
• 6.3% for office buildings
However, these costs are typically offset over time through:
• Lower operational costs (due to energy efficiency)
• Falling technology costs (e.g. the cost of photovoltaics has dropped by ~80% in the past decade)
• Reduced maintenance
• Higher asset value
Research by the UK Green Building Council shows that high-performing developments can attract 6–11% higher rental value. -
Projects are assessed using carbon calculation tools against clear performance targets. These targets are:
• Time-bound – they vary depending on the project’s start year
• Evidence-based – informed by real-world data on what’s practically achievable
• Balanced – they combine top-down carbon and energy budgets with bottom-up industry capability
For example, our joint pilot with Max Fordham and Price & Myers explores how to meet upfront embodied carbon targets in real projects. Upfront carbon is one of 11 aspects that the standard considers. -
Yes, independent verification is part of the process.
To demonstrate compliance, a building must undergo third-party verification after it has been in operation at agreed occupancy levels for at least 12 months. This is known as the Reporting Period End Point (RPEP).
At RPEP, a Net Zero Carbon Coordinator will gather all performance data and reporting evidence. If verification is successful, the development can be publicly declared as either:
• Net Zero Carbon Aligned Building
• Net Zero Carbon Aligned Building (plus offsets)
Looking forward
There is no ‘magic bullet’ to resolve the environmental issues facing the construction industry.
It will take time and effort, and the process will not be linear. However, progress is being made and implementing the NZCBS is a step in the right direction. There are likely to be opportunities arising from new building technologies, innovation and amendments to legislation that will make it easier to achieve our goals as an industry.
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