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The Pilot Version of the 
UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard

The Pilot Version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (The Standard) was launched in September 2024, with the latest revision published in April 2025. The most recent revision of the Standard and associated documents can be downloaded here.

 

The Standard 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. In the future, projects will be able to verify that a project conforms to the Standard.

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We encourage organisations to target and adopt the Pilot version of the Standard on your buildings and assets.  â€‹

The Pilot testing programme is now closed

A huge thank you to all our 205 Pilot Participants whose input into the development of Version 1 has been invaluable.​
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The feedback analysis is now complete, and the Pilot Team have produced a Findings Report. Our Technical Steering Group have been closely engaged with the Pilot throughout to hear industry feedback, identify amendments required, and test these with Pilot Participants. We are now finalising the proposed changes to be implemented in Version 1, alongside the development of new Annexes.​
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We will share the key findings from the Pilot Testing, and how we are responding to these, in our next
Pre-Launch Update. 

The UKNZCBS Pilot Version Launch Webinar

Join us as we take you through the Pilot Version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, launched in September 2024. This webinar recaps the Standard’s principles and how it was created; provides an overview of the Standard itself; and explores key take-home messages for the industry around the path to Net Zero Carbon.

Programme Overview:

  1. Welcome

  2. Overview of Pilot Version of Standard Technical Details

  3. Background to the Pilot Version

  4. Engaging with the Pilot Version

  5. Acknowledgments

  6. Q&A

How the Standard's Limits Were Set

A fundamental principle of the Standard is that it is science-led, informed by the UK carbon and energy budgets, and by the actions required from the built environment to align with these budgets.

 

To develop the operational energy and embodied carbon limits provided in the Pilot Version of the Standard, a Balancing Model was developed and scenario testing conducted. Following publication of the Pilot Version, we developed two important documents on our approach - the first is focused on the modelling, with the second summarising the evidence base behind this:

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  • How the UKNZCBS Limits Were Set: Balancing the UK stock against a Net Zero trajectory to derive the Pilot Version limits

  • UKNZBCS Input Evidence Report: The analysis of industry data that fed into the Standard's Pilot Version development

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These documents can be downloaded here. If you have any feedback on either document, please email us at info@nzcbuildings.co.uk with the subject line 'Feedback on the Standard's Limit Setting'.

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