We’re very excited about the clarity of the now published whole life carbon limits, which are part of the UK Net Zero Building Standard (UKNZBS). The UKNZBS has been a huge undertaking, and we’ve been delighted to contribute as part of the offices sector embodied carbon segment.
The publication of the carbon limits (limits) offers designers like ourselves the clarity and sureness of what is needed. The levels we are targeting as designers to achieve in all office interior fitouts is 250kgCO2e per m2. This number should be used in the design process today (2024-25) for all interiors being handed over to clients in 2026. Through our extensive work around sustainability, life cycle thinking, circularity and embodied carbon, we’ve looked into and developed a wide variety of solutions the limits can be achieved through. All solutions to meet the Net Zero alignment targets are in existence today, which makes the standard’s targets doable.
Designers are superbly placed to undertake negotiations as to where the carbon budgets will be spent within a design while negotiating the aesthetics and human needs, the financial budgets and performance of the space, the sourcing and procurement options, and variety of technical requirements. Good designers are super skilled in various pockets of knowledge and the embodied carbon skillset is another to add to the toolbox.
For embodied and operational carbon limits to be achieved, they are critically dependant on a designer’s ability to align with them as early as the concept stage. Certain aesthetic and procurement approaches for example are currently dependant on designers approaching concepts in a specific way. Ensuring this is known and designers are trained to think this way is key for all teams.
The UKNZBS currently does not certify separately an office client’s project but as designers, we can very simply align our designs to these figures and deliver truly low carbon designs.
Here are some of the offices fitout limits of note and which we’re designing to today:
Embodied Carbon
- The 2026 target has a limit of 250kgCO2e /m2 and this would be the most relevant figure to relate with today for initiating projects.
- The 2028 target has a limit of 225kgCO2e /m2.
- The 2030 target has a limit of 195kgCO2e /m2 and will require some intentional systemic work to align to this level. It is a 65kgCO2e /m2 reduction from today’s figure. This will require significant reductions in embodied carbon of walls and ceilings, plus sourcing style and location of furniture for example.
- The current trajectory for 2050 is 25kgCO2e /m2 and we can only dream of what it will feel like those days looking back on the journey we’ve hopefully been lucky to have and knowing we did our best to get there.
Operational Carbon
- 2026 limits 97kWh/m2 GIA/yr – or – 122kWh/m2 NIA/yr
- 2030 limits 85kWh/m2 GIA/yr – or – 107kWh/m2 NIA/yr
