From Metric-Focused to Metric-Forward: Four Tips for Starting — And Staying — On Your Accelerated Decarbonization Journey in 2024

Last year, during a meeting on decarbonizing buildings with White House personnel, a member of the administration remarked, “How fortunate are we to be working in this industry now? When there is such a market and political will?” 

They were right. First and foremost, 2023 was a landmark year for net zero progress. For decades, we primarily focused our efforts on making the case for why we needed green buildings in the first place — on an agenda that put center a greater mainstream awareness about the benefits of green building practices. And last year, much of that began to pay off. 

We finally experienced a real convergence of financial resources, growing business commitments, eagerness for ESG, and an abundance of technologies for emissions reductions. On the policy front, we witnessed big wins including funding from the Inflation Reduction Act starting to roll out and the successful adoption of local standards (i.e. buildings in NYC complying with New York’s LL97 faster than expected and Seattle’s requirements for big buildings). We saw a greater focus on building performance standards for both state and federal properties. And of course, we were thrilled with the nationally-comprehensive, locally-tailored, and community-driven strategies unveiled in the White House’s National Climate Resilient Framework. 

With this administration’s wave of climate and net zero initiatives, we finally reached a long overdue and critical juncture, one where the public and private sectors not only recognize that buildings have the potential to be vital assets for community climate efforts, but that they have a responsibility, opportunity, and path for acting on that information. 

However, while I’ve never been more optimistic for this industry, the reality remains that awareness and adoption will only get us so far. If last year will be remembered as the apex of awareness and adoption, of an era when the resources and will needed to implement net zero solutions were, at long last, assembled en masse, then 2024 must be about that crucial next leap to acceleration. 

Every discussion I have with leaders in our green building community is underscored by a shared need for missing information. I’m likely not alone in my observation that everyone I meet with wants to achieve net zero, but they also want a shared definition of what zero emissions is, better ROI data to make the business case for its pursuit, and a roadmap they can leverage to get there successfully. 

I’m also not alone in my assessment of the challenges ahead. While the momentum for net zero is tangible, we shouldn’t gloss over the fact that the commercial real estate market will also have to navigate some real challenges in 2024 — office vacancies, high interest rates, declining property values, and rising maturity defaults – just to name a few. And with less than six years from the Paris Agreement deadlines for target achievement, acceleration to zero must remain front and center.

What we’re doing at GNFZ in 2024 is ensuring that the people and organizations who work with us don’t just have the awareness of and the importance of adopting more sustainable business and building practices. With our position as the world’s premier independent net zero certification body, we are empowering people to face these challenges head on and implement an accelerated, top to bottom path to decarbonizing their buildings and businesses. 

As such, here are my top four tips for starting — and staying — on your decarbonization journey in 2024:

Complete your carbon assessment and develop a net zero plan.

In an effort to accelerate decarbonization, you must revisit the basics and reimagine what’s possible. If there is one thing you are going to do this year for businesses, for buildings, and for operations as a whole, complete your carbon assessment and develop a plan for reduction and elimination. And make sure that, if possible, any plan you implement involves a path to acceleration — one with time bound targets aligned to the Paris Agreement. 

Invest in your existing investments (buildings).

When you don’t know what’s next, it’s easy to just do nothing. Even the companies that have made tremendous progress on their green building work are often unaware of affordable paths for acceleration and as such, have become reluctant to develop a plan for now eliminating their portfolio’s emissions. But decarbonization isn’t just one more thing you need to do — it’s the one thing you must do.  The silver lining here is that because existing buildings drive 40% of the world’s carbon emissions, you likely already have a viable investment on your hands. Begin with your portfolio and treat your building as a foundational investment. This way you can tackle your biggest emitter and invest in the resilience of the facilities, likely creating the largest footprint for your business or organization. 

Consider your Scope 3 emissions.

Focus on what GNFZ has found to be an Achilles’ Heel for many businesses and organizations: Your Scope 3 emissions. Right now, only 0.023% of buildings globally are net zero, and most of them are “net zero energy,” only accounting for Scope 1 and 2. Given that Scope 3 is typically the highest source of emissions spanning across the value chain, it is imperative that you don’t neglect it. An incremental net zero process will help you do just that, and will ensure you have a roadmap that keeps this decarbonization metric at the heart of your acceleration to zero. If you want to get started and are struggling with Scope 3 challenges, reach out to [email protected] to develop a plan with us. 

Implement a decarbonization first plan independent of outside factors.

Independent of market, economic, political conditions, every business and organization must develop an accelerated plan to decarbonize. The geopolitical landscape is evolving more than we ever thought possible and the world is warming at a rate even the most conservative estimates did not foresee. Complete elimination of emissions must remain the centerpiece of your efforts. Focusing on a triple bottom line driven by putting decarbonizing first, will make all the difference for the sustainable future of your organization and any community you are in.

These are the topline tips we are using in our work with GNFZ partners and clients. In the coming weeks, I’ll be traveling to India, the UK, France, back home to the United States, and visiting with more organizations to talk in greater detail about the incredible progress we’re making at GNFZ, and to share advice with prospective members. Stay tuned for updates and subscribe to our newsletter here for more information on how to make the most of any journey to zero.