{"id":38964,"date":"2025-07-04T11:11:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T09:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swecobelgium.be\/?post_type=blog&p=38964"},"modified":"2025-07-23T14:28:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T12:28:51","slug":"can-we-really-build-net-zero","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.swecobelgium.be\/en\/news\/can-we-really-build-net-zero\/","title":{"rendered":"Can we really build Net-Zero?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s one of the most pressing questions in the construction world today: what does \u201cnet-zero\u201d actually mean, and how do we get there? Lode Lefevre, Project Engineer in Sustainable Design at Sweco, guides design and engineering teams towards more sustainable choices. As a strategic advisor on sustainability<\/a>, he takes a critical look at trends, terminology, and how they\u2019re being applied in practice.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, everything starts with clear definitions,\u201d says Lode. \u201cUsing the right scope and terminology is essential \u2013 yet surprisingly difficult.\u201d The term \u2018net-zero\u2019 is notoriously vague in practice. \u201cAre we talking about operational emissions only, or also embodied carbon? And what do we mean by \u2018zero\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Operational vs. embodied CO\u2082: what\u2019s included?<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe concept originally comes from the energy world: consuming the same amount of energy as you produce \u2013 not necessarily at the same time. That\u2019s what \u2018zero\u2019 refers to.\u201d This same logic is now being applied to embodied carbon via offsetting schemes. \u201cBut offsetting is far from straightforward. You\u2019re dealing with CO\u2082-equivalents \u2013 meaning all greenhouse gases, not just CO\u2082. And planting a tree, for instance, only \u2018pays off\u2019 over several decades. Who can guarantee that tree will still be standing in 50 years?\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Energy buffering: key to true net-zero<\/h2>\n

Lode works on projects that tackle these issues in different ways \u2013 from energy-neutral buildings to designs that actively capture CO\u2082. But even in these flagship projects, major structural challenges remain. \u201cGrid congestion is currently one of the biggest bottlenecks. We still rely on the grid to import and export energy, but the system is under strain. If we want to reach real zero, we need to move towards energy-autonomous buildings, with buffering as a key component.\u201d<\/p>\n

This fits within the still-relevant framework of the Trias Energetica<\/strong>: Limit energy demand, Generate renewable energy<\/a> and Use energy efficiently. \u201cThat third step gets too little attention today. Without proper buffering, we\u2019ll stay dependent on a grid that\u2019s already stretched to its limits.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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The hidden impact of building materials<\/h2>\n

Another area of focus is material production. \u201cTake concrete. It often gets a bad name, but the real culprit is cement and steel production \u2013 responsible for 6% of global CO\u2082 emissions. If we drive the energy transition<\/a> in industry, we\u2019ll reduce the embodied carbon in materials like concrete.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sweco applies the Trias Circularia<\/strong> framework for material choices: Use as little material as possible, Prioritise reused, recycled or low-impact materials and Ensure efficient use over the full lifecycle<\/a>. \u201cThat also means designing for disassembly \u2013 and doing so without relying on closed ecosystems or predefined \u2018kits of parts\u2019. Those might work for small-scale systems or homes, but for large buildings, scale is a challenge. I see more potential in design principles that focus on adaptability and easy disassembly.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Monitoring with the right data \u2013 harder than it looks<\/h2>\n

Monitoring plays a vital role in making buildings more sustainable \u2013 but only if you\u2019re tracking the right metrics. \u201cOperational emissions are spread over the lifespan of a building, but embodied emissions happen up front. That means you need to amortise them over as long a period as possible. If a building is demolished after just 15 years, most of the environmental benefits from low-carbon materials are lost.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sweco also offers commissioning<\/strong>, ensuring that buildings perform as designed. \u201cBut even then, data can be misleading. For data-driven optimisation to work, the data needs to be accurate, representative, and sufficient. And we need transparency in how it\u2019s processed \u2013 otherwise you end up with a black box, or worse, a self-fulfilling prophecy.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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If you truly set the bar at zero, you have to acknowledge that building always has an impact. And it\u2019s exactly that awareness that marks the beginning of real sustainability<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Lode Lefevre<\/strong>, project engineer sustainable design bij Sweco<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Circular design is common sense \u2013 not a niche<\/h2>\n

For Lode, smart design starts with future-proof thinking. \u201cAsk yourself: could I fix this myself? That\u2019s often the best mindset. The materials we use today must remain relevant and replaceable 30 or 50 years from now. At Sweco, circular strategies like design for disassembly or extending the functional lifespan aren\u2019t novelties \u2013 they\u2019re basic logic.\u201d<\/p>\n

And who\u2019s footing the bill?<\/h2>\n

The million-pound question remains: who pays for all this?<\/strong> \u201cWithout viable business models, these solutions won\u2019t scale. Solar panels work because there\u2019s a clear return on investment. But for technologies like aquathermy or sewer heat recovery, it\u2019s more complex \u2013 public subsidies can help bridge the gap.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Lode advocates for targeted subsidies and clear CO\u2082 targets. \u201cNot everything will pay for itself. The government should step in where the societal return outweighs the financial one.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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The uncomfortable truth about \u2018zero impact\u2019<\/h2>\n

Ultimately, it\u2019s not just about money \u2013 it\u2019s about hard choices. \u201cWe\u2019re still building as if zero-impact construction were possible. But how can we claim to build without impact while still building at this scale? What positive contributions are we making to offset all the negatives? Honestly, I think that\u2019s an illusion.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Sweco, acknowledging that paradox is essential. \u201cAs long as we keep the definitions vague, we\u2019ll keep circling the issue. If we truly aim for zero, we must first accept that every building has an impact. And that realisation is the starting point of true sustainability<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Making sense of carbon metrics<\/h2>\n

There are several ways to measure the environmental impact of a building: CO\u2082, CO\u2082eq, CO\u2082eq\/m\u00b2, CO\u2082eq\/m\u00b2\/year, and CO\u2082eq\/m\u00b2\/year\/intensity. But what do these indicators really mean, and how should they be used properly?<\/p>\n

CO<\/strong>\u2082<\/strong>eq (carbon dioxide equivalent), or why planting trees isn\u2019t enough<\/strong><\/p>\n

CO\u2082eq stands for carbon dioxide equivalent, a unit that allows us to compare the global warming potential of all greenhouse gases. Not all of them have the same effect on climate change. By converting them into CO\u2082 equivalents, we can express their total impact in a single, comparable metric. This includes gases like methane (CH\u2084), nitrous oxide (N\u2082O), and others \u2013 not just CO\u2082.<\/p>\n

CO<\/strong>\u2082<\/strong>eq\/m\u00b2, or why we shouldn\u2019t lose sight of the bigger picture<\/strong><\/p>\n

This refers to the total amount of CO\u2082 equivalents per square meter. It\u2019s a metric that helps compare the environmental footprint of different buildings or design alternatives. A design may be highly efficient in terms of material use, yet still result in a greater overall impact than others.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s similar to the concept of building compactness: a large, compact building may perform better in kWh\/m\u00b2 than a small, poorly compact one. But in absolute terms, the smaller building still uses less energy overall.<\/p>\n

CO<\/strong>\u2082<\/strong>eq\/m\u00b2\/year<\/strong><\/p>\n

This metric indicates the CO\u2082 equivalent emissions per square meter per year. It takes a building\u2019s full lifespan into account and helps assess long-term sustainability<\/a>. Embodied carbon \u2013 the emissions from construction and materials \u2013 is emitted all at once at the start. The longer the building lasts, the more that impact can be spread out. For instance, demolishing a building after just 15 years can cancel out many of the sustainable efforts made during construction.<\/p>\n

CO<\/strong>\u2082<\/strong>eq\/m\u00b2\/year\/intensity<\/strong><\/p>\n

This indicator goes one step further by factoring in how intensively a building is used. A 1000 m\u00b2 building used by a single person for 60 years doesn\u2019t offer much \u201cadded value,\u201d even if it performs well on all previous criteria.<\/p>\n

Think of car sharing: privately owned cars sit idle 95% of the time, while shared vehicles are used more intensively, reducing the total number needed \u2013 and thus their environmental impact. The same principle applies to buildings.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Real sustainability isn\u2019t about offsetting \u2013 it\u2019s about meaningful use<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s not just about total emissions, but how efficiently and usefully a building performs over its lifetime. Designing for maximum value \u2013 that\u2019s the difference between compensating and truly building sustainably.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Overig nieuws<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOur People<\/span>21\/05\/2026<\/em>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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What forgotten landfills can teach us about brownfield development<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Read more<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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