NET ZERO | CARBON STANDARD HOW THE STANDARD WILL WORK F or buildings to meet the proposed Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, they must achieve a level of operational and embodied energy that is compatible with the UKs remaining carbon budget and the projected capacity of renewable and zero carbon energy available in the future. The aim of the standard is to develop industry-agreed limits and targets for operational and embodied carbon in 14 building sectors (see below) by the end of 2023. The standard will also cover the procurement of renewable energy and the treatment of residual emissions, including carbon offsetting. To establish average and best practice performance, the NZCBS group is calling on industry to submit project operational and embodied data. Operational data should be submitted via a pro forma at www.nzcbuildings.co.uk. The main aim of the template is to identify a projects energy use intensity, based on metered energy. Data from energy models can also be submitted. Embodied energy data should be submitted to the existing Built Environment Carbon Database. Sector groups will develop the bottom-up operational benchmarks for each building type based on the data collated by the operational energy group. Benchmarks for embodied carbon will be developed by the embodied energy group. There are three performance levels: a benchmark, representing the current sector average for buildings today; limits, which are the maximum performance level that must not be exceeded for example, maximum embodied carbon; and a target, which is the minimum performance level for example, minimum renewable energy generated. Another top down group will establish the metrics and establish the total budgets for the metrics identified that would allow the UK building stock to achieve net zero. A carbon accounting group defines the rules for measuring embodied and operational energy, and identifies acceptable options for mitigating residual emissions. Finally, a reporting, disclosure and verification group will agree the approach and requirements for verifying net zero carbon claims. CJ BUILDING SECTORS Homes Logistics/warehouses Higher education Healthcare Schools Commercial Ofces Hotels Retail Science and technology Sports and leisure Heritage Datacentre Culture and entertainment SPONSORED COLUMN | EXYTE HARGREAVES When is training a qualified success? After attending a career day for young engineers, Exyte Hargreaves David Fitzpatrick considers the appropriate mix of qualifications and expertise O ver the past few months, I have been involved with CIBSE Young Engineers Network (YEN) groups on a careers day in London looking to attract new talent into our industry, the Young Engineers Awards, and various other events with YEN. I have found it inspiring to see the engineering talent we already have in the industry and their passion for what they believe the building services sector can achieve. It is interesting to see the different routes via which they have taken into the industry, often not through a building services course, but through a module on another course or being guided by a teacher, lecturer or mentor. It makes you wonder how we can make it easier to show potential careers in the industry at an earlier stage, and how we can keep them motivated and developing when they are part of the industry. Is it worse to let talented people drift away from the industry or not attract them in the rst place? I also ask myself if we have the correct type of courses available in all aspects of the building services industry for the talent to be attracted in the rst place. I was thinking about the smoke industry, with its focus on competence in the Fire Safety Act 2021. For example, is competence about being able to show you have a set of procedures and forms to prove you can carry out a safe installation on a project which to me is about ISO 9001 Quality management systems or is it about the expertise of the people actually designing and installing a smoke control system? If its about expertise, are we referring to experience or qualications, or both? If it is about having qualications, what are they? For example, a re engineer has a wealth of knowledge, but does he have the specic expertise to design a detailed re engineering design solution for a complex building? Then I looked at what training is available for somebody wishing to begin in smoke control systems. There is a lot of excellent guidance, but very few actual qualications, although I did nd some through the Fire Service College. It got me thinking. Have we created the correct type of courses required for the industry today, to attract new people and to give the industry the knowledge it needs for the future? Also, when a company is looking for a smoke control specialist, what should they be looking for experience within the industry or proven qualications? . David Fitzpatrick is director for SFS Business Unit at Exyte Hargreaves and elected CIBSE Board member 22 December 2022 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Dec 22 pp20-22 David Partridge.indd 22 25/11/2022 18:07