January Newsletter: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Solutions
This monthly newsletter rounds up GNFZ updates, network highlights, and net zero insights. This issue was sent to our email subscribers on January 29, 2026. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest directly to your inbox.
As we enter a pivotal year for climate action, the path to net zero demands more than ambition — it requires practical integration, cross-sector collaboration, and a willingness to confront complexity head-on. This is exactly why GNFZ was launched: to create a network where leaders, practitioners, and innovators can come together to share insights, strategies, and solutions for impact. GNFZ’s year-long webinar series embodies this imperative, convening global leaders and practitioners to explore how resilience, policy, financing, design, water and waste, education, and networks come together in real-world net zero implementation.
These conversations aren’t about lofty aspirations alone — they’re about equipping our community with the insight, tools, and connections to move beyond silos and accelerate impact at scale. From resilience as an essential strategy to the evolving landscape of net zero practice, we invite you to join us throughout the year and shape the future of sustainable solutions with peers who are turning commitment into measurable progress.
— Sarah Merricks, GNFZ Chief Strategy Officer
"I see buildings as one of the most powerful levers we have to address climate change while improving how people live and work every day. Buildings touch everyone’s life and decarbonizing them creates benefits that go far beyond emissions—lower operating costs, healthier spaces, and more resilient communities.”
We recently spoke with sustainability leader Hardik Miyani, Energy & Decarbonization Project Manager at Baumann Consulting and GNFZ Advisor. Read about how he works with building owners and operators to turn sustainability goals into practical, measurable outcomes.
Third-Party Validation is Critically Important
As climate commitments face growing scrutiny, third-party verification has become the backbone of credible sustainability action. In their latest article. Nikita Date and Sriranjani Srinivasan explain how independent verification and validation go beyond compliance — ensuring that both reported emissions and future net zero plans are accurate, defensible, and aligned with global standards. With regulators, investors, and stakeholders demanding transparency, third-party assurance helps organizations eliminate greenwashing risk, strengthen trust, and confidently stand behind their climate claims.
Upcoming GNFZ Webinars
In 2026, GNFZ will host a free, live webinar series focused on turning net-zero ambition into real-world action across the built environment. Throughout the year, industry leaders will explore key topics including resilience, building performance standards, financing, Scope 3 impacts, and sector-specific pathways to net zero. Explore the full series, and register for our first one in February, “Resilience and Net Zero: Two Sides of the Same Strategy.”
How You Can Account for Embodied Carbon
One of the biggest challenges in achieving true net zero performance is accounting for embodied carbon — the emissions tied to building materials, supply chains, and construction processes that don’t show up in year-to-year energy use. While many certification programs focus mainly on operational emissions, this video explains how GNFZ’s approach captures the full carbon footprint of a building — spanning design, construction, operations, and supply-chain impacts. By aligning with GHG Protocol sector-specific guidance and centering Scope 3 emissions, GNFZ provides a more comprehensive and credible net zero certification framework. Watch to learn more:
