Electrifying your existing building can be a transformative step towards decarbonizing your portfolio and achieving long-term cost savings; however, the transition likely won’t come without technical and financial challenges. Understanding the essential steps to effectively electrify your building is crucial. Here are our top five tips to ensure a smooth and successful electrification process.

In April 2024, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) launched a new version of its suite of certification programs: Living Building Challenge (LBC) 4.1, Zero Energy Certification (ZE) 1.1, and Zero Carbon Certification (ZC) 1.1. Projects can register under the older – and plenty ambitious – versions until June 30, 2024, or proactively usher in the next era of decarbonizing the built environment by registering under the new version today.

Given that the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) recently launched a new version of its Zero Carbon Certification (ZC), you may be wondering what this means for your projects. In this two-part series, we outline the changes to ILFI ZC 1.1 and share what developers, designers, and contractors can do to prepare.

Read Part 1 to see how embodied and operational carbon requirements have changed. Then, let’s dive into what you can do to set your projects up for success.

Last month, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) made sustainability headlines by announcing that it would consider allowing companies to use carbon credits, and other environmental attribute certificates, to achieve their Science Based Targets. While the change was welcomed by some, it prompted serious pushback from SBTi staff, partners, and environmental groups.

Companies and organizations are facing increasing pressure from regulators, investors, customers, and other stakeholders to measure their carbon footprint and limit emissions. In the U.S. several regulations and pending regulations would require public companies to report their emissions, including California’s SB 253, the SEC Climate Disclosure Rule, and proposed regulations in Washington and Illinois.

So, how can organizations answer this call?

It’s official – on March 6, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued its final climate-related disclosure rule, “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors,” ushering in a new era of mandatory, regulated climate reporting in the United States. Let’s break down a summary of key takeaways of the ruling and what organizations can do now to set themselves up for successful disclosure beginning in 2026. 

Are you ready to begin your sustainability or decarbonization journey but aren’t quite sure where to start? Or are you on the heels of the California sustainability disclosure legislature (SB 253) and in need of a fully auditable greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory?

Across corporate ESG efforts, climate action remains a top priority. While many of the carbon trends we highlighted in 2023 are just as relevant now, the year ahead carries with it a different momentum and area of focus.