What Does Net Zero Really Mean?
Words by Ryan Cheng
At the very core of the problem stands one glaring culprit – human accelerated carbon emissions.
Climate change remains an imminent threat to our very existence.
According to Project Drawdown, sources of climate change pervades all sections of human life. Transportation is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture and forestry activities generate 24% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
And today, electricity production gives rise to 25% of heat-trapping emissions globally.
Similarly, a report produced by the International Energy Agency outlined that the building and construction sector globally accounts for 36% of final energy use and 39% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2018, “11% of which resulted from manufacturing building materials and products such as steel, cement and glass.”
Accelerated by the pandemic, the team at the Design Council outlined that we truly began to see the real impact humans were having on the planet.
“The global pandemic is starting to change the way we view things.
“Alongside the extraordinary pain, trauma and hardship, it has brought an increased awareness of the way things are interconnected, how human development over the past centuries has impacted the environment and how the changes affect us all.
“The pandemic has brought a renewed focus on the environment, with many countries, organisations and businesses committing to net zero targets”
Indeed, the pandemic has shown that we can dramatically reduce our CO2 output through coordinated and collective effort.
Through a systems thinking approach, the Design Council believes that design has the potential to create real change by moving towards net zero.
However, clarity around the terms and processes are still lacking.
“Most of our clients actually aren’t familiar with the term ‘net-zero energy,’ so it’s something we have to talk to them about,” says Vikram Sami, Director of Building Performance for Olson Kundig Architects in conversation with Architectural Digest.
So the Design Council has set out some definitions to help clear a few things up.
What is Net Zero?
In their recent report, the Design Council have defined a range of terms (Page 5) as foundational to creating sustainable change within the creative industry:
NET ZERO
a state in which the greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere are balanced by an equal amount being removed from the atmosphere.
CLIMATE MITIGATION
the attempt to reduce the production of greenhouse gasses to minimise the resultant warming.
CLIMATE ADAPTATION
the process of actively reducing the risks posed by climate change.
SUSTAINABILITY
meeting the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations. This demands living and growing in ways that support the wellbeing of all people and the environment we depend on indefinitely.
Local Peoples committed to reducing our operations to net carbon zero in 2020.
Through a partnership with Greenfleet, we plant enough native trees to absorb 72.00 tonnes of CO2 emissions across 2020 (our estimated emissions from all operations).
This helped us reach carbon neutrality for the year and we are committed to do this moving forward!
"Most of our clients actually aren’t familiar with the term ‘net-zero energy'...”
"And as the quest for net zero continues, having agreed upon definitions to build on will only serve to empower designers from all fields."
The Role of Creativity and Design
There is no doubt that we are facing an enormous challenge in the climate crisis.
The Design Council believes that creativity and design have a pivotal role to play.
“This challenge is not only technical; it is creative and social...Designers work across virtually every relevant field and have the capacity to connect silos and sectors.”
Consider the pivotal role design may play in influencing the future of transport, with the potential for “compact cities, intentional infrastructure, and advanced communication technologies” that transform how we move and live.
Or how design can influence policy to improve energy efficiency, better protect our ecosystems and shift agricultural practices that continue to provide for a growing global population while ensuring that our climate remains protected.
And as the quest for net zero continues, having agreed upon definitions to build on will only serve to empower designers from all fields.
James Taplin from Innovate UK (Page 6) believes that “closing the gap between the theoretical take-up and the actual implementation” of design for a green transition can change the world.
There will be barriers to this change, but the potential to create a better world - from policy to product design - is there for the taking.