Making the Case for Zero Carbon Building

CAGBC report proves the value of zero carbon buildings 

In Making the Case for Building to Zero Carbon report, CAGBC shows that zero-carbon buildings are technically feasible and financially viable.

The report makes a strong business case for making every new building zero-carbon. With just a modest capital cost premium, zero-carbon buildings can produce a financial return over 25-years. The report’s findings account for carbon pricing but as the cost of carbon rises, the economic case improves.

Zero-carbon buildings can also help owners avoid future costs. Climate resiliency considerations and new regulations and policies will speed up the need for deep carbon retrofits. Building to zero-carbon today will help building owners avoid unnecessary costs tomorrow and increase portfolio resiliency.

Making the Case examined different building types, including low-rise office, mid-rise office, low-rise multi-unit residential, mid-rise multi-unit residential, primary schools, big-box retail, and warehouses, focusing on buildings in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax.

What People Are Saying

Making the Case for Building To Zero Carbon  was developed with financial contributions from Natural Resources Canada, The National Research Council, Public Services and Procurement Canada, The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, REALPAC, the Government of Nova Scotia, and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia.