There has never been a more important time to take responsibility for our actions. The world is experiencing unprecedented rates of change in climate, energy supply, technology, and business. The climate crisis is urgent. The sixth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, approved in April, states that carbon emissions must be reduced by 50% to ensure a livable planet in the future. Building construction and use contributes more than 40% of human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases. Designers of the built environment have a unique and inspiring opportunity to shape a positive future. This means developing the expertise and research to push beyond net-zero energy to net-positive energy, from a neutral effect on health, safety, and resources to a positive one.
For years, the building industry has focused on reducing operational carbon — the total carbon from all energy sources used to keep buildings warm, cool, ventilated, lighted, and powered — through measures like energy efficiency improvements. While these reductions are important, they are additive solutions, meaning their immediate impacts are small relative to their projected impacts 60 years from now.