Scott Donachie’s Post

The White House and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s proposed net-zero definition will provide a clear standard for the real estate industry, reducing confusion and greenwashing. But does it go far enough? Critics argue that the net-zero definition should include Scope 3 emissions to achieve true net-zero status. “To say forsaking Scope 3 is a missed opportunity is an understatement; it’s a catastrophe,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO of Global Network for Zero, an international collective of business leaders implementing strategies for a zero emissions world. Check out my latest Propmodo piece, where we discuss the pros and cons of the proposed net-zero building definition and why some think that, while it's a step in the right direction, it needs to be more comprehensive. #netzero #netzero2050 #netzerobuildings #commercialrealestate #decarbonization #greenbuildings #sustainability https://lnkd.in/eYm2guvx

As Mahesh Ramanujam explains to Nick Pipitone at Propmodo, the drafted definition of a zero emission building by the federal government makes headway, but it needs to go further to adequately address decarbonization, including Scope 3 emissions. Read the full piece below.👇

The draft definition of a zero emission building by The White House and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is a step in the right direction, but does not go far enough to address the urgency of decarbonizing the built environment. As highlighted in my interview with Nick Pipitone in Propmodo, the definition must incorporate Scope 3 emissions – including embodied carbon – to drive meaningful decarbonization efforts in buildings across the nation. Excluding Scope 3 emissions would overlook a significant portion of a building's carbon footprint throughout its lifecycle. I encourage you to read the full article and share your thoughts on the proposed definition in the comments. A comprehensive approach that accounts for all emission sources is crucial for achieving true net zero buildings and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Discover how the UK's development and construction industry is leading the charge towards net-zero emissions by 2050 in this insightful article. Explore key strategies such as sustainable design, energy efficiency, renewable energy, circular economy practices, low-carbon materials, collaboration and policy support. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eW6tpnMX #ByrneCSL #Sustainability #NetZero #ConstructionIndustry #GreenFuture #SustainabilityInConstruction #NetZeroEmissions #GreenConstruction #ConstructionTechnology #RenewableEnergy #CircularEconomy #ClimateAction #EnvironmentalSustainability #GreenBuilding #ConstructionInnovation #SustainableDevelopment #UKConstruction

🏛️ Has your state or local government adopted building performance standards (BPS)? ⚡ These emerging outcome-based policy tools aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment, but they can leave building owners and tenants overwhelmed as they attempt to pave a pathway for compliance. 💡 Learn about strategic recommendations to achieve BPS compliance and conserve energy in your buildings in this month's newsletter article: https://ow.ly/Qej150R3ptI 🌎 Visit our website for information on our Sustainability Solutions: https://ow.ly/Ofrs50R3ptH #APTIM #BPS #GHG #EnergyEfficiency #GreenBuilding #sustainability

Following the Australian Government’s document release last year on the APS Net Zero Emissions by 2030 strategy, building owners face a transformative period ahead. Our latest article outlines how building owners can adapt to the Australian Government's net zero emissions target, covering essential strategies and updates. Click the image below and learn how to align your asset with these objectives for a sustainable future. #netzero #sustainablefuture #sustainablebuildings #energyefficiency

"The federal government standardized the definition of net-zero emissions buildings and plans to include net zero buildings in its leasing requirements by 2030, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2045."  Curious to see how this affects lease rates. Particularly for buildings that need to "catch up." Likely it'll become market. The tech isn't that new.... The goal isn't that ambitious if you take into account that GSA leases have been including LEED criteria in their RFP's for probably 10+ years, but it'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Great article from our ESG Department Ashly Pleasant!

#EQPartner Sustainable Buildings Canada offers unique resources to the building professionals of Ontario. One of those resources is a series of white papers. One paper titled “Building Energy Code Approaches: An Analysis of Reference, Target, and Step Codes” explains the progress that is being made: “Codes are also increasingly taking the form of “Step” or “Tiered” codes, which are a set of increasingly stringent regulations on building performance. They aim to give a roadmap to reach a government’s ultimate energy or emissions targets and are intended to give regulatory certainty to decision-makers.” Get your copy of this paper at https://bit.ly/4bXg9yv. #HighPerformanceBuildings #SBC #PartnerSpotlight #WhitePaper #BuildingCode

The newly revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (#EPBD) is set to transform our built environment. With 85% of EU buildings built before 2000 and 75% of those having poor energy performance, the EPBD offers a clear path forward to meet the EU’s 2050 environmental goals. Developers and investors must act now to future-proof their assets, minimise risk, and meet key environmental targets by 2030 and 2040. Learn more about the impact and urgency of the EPBD in our latest article by Ciaran O'Leary, Head of ESG and Sustainability at Catalyst. #Sustainability #GreenBuilding #EPBD #ClimateAction https://lnkd.in/eYw-mKN9

The building and construction sector accounts for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions. Yet lack of consistent, actionable data continues to be one of the biggest challenges for policy-making. Join this upcoming episode of Carbon Experts Live on April 3rd to hear how the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) is helping the industry to prepare for incoming changes to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), with its INDICATE program. One Click LCA’s Leonardo Poli Poli will be joined by IGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Projects Lead, Stephen Barrett, as they discuss how they are tackling the challenges of tracking carbon emissions and setting the targets to reduce them. Register now: https://lnkd.in/dHCw_p8G #IGBC #EPBD #CarbonReduction #CarbonData