As the UK marks Net Zero Week 2025 (5–11 July), the official national awareness campaign spotlighting the country’s journey to net zero, CIBSE reaffirms its strong commitment to supporting climate action across the built environment. This annual event plays a crucial role in uniting stakeholders across sectors to help deliver on the UK’s 2050 net zero target while ensuring energy remains both secure and affordable.
At CIBSE, sustainability and climate resilience are central to our mission. We have long championed the connection between building performance and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Recognising the urgency and scale of the challenge, we have taken decisive steps to strengthen our impact.
A framework for climate action
In a major step forward, CIBSE launched its Climate Action Plan, which sets out a roadmap of current and planned initiatives where we have both the responsibility and the capacity to lead. The plan focuses on key areas of influence—spanning guidance, training, standards, and professional competence—and commits CIBSE to regularly reviewing and evolving our actions in response to new evidence, policy developments, and industry needs.
The Climate Action Plan not only guides our internal strategy but also empowers our members and partners to deliver real change across the buildings sector.
The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
Among the most significant developments is the launch of the pilot version of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS) in September 2024. This landmark initiative marks a collaborative achievement between CIBSE and eight partner organisations: BBP, BRE, the Carbon Trust, IStructE, LETI, RIBA, RICS, and UKGBC.
Developed through extensive industry engagement and rigorous technical work, the UKNZCBS provides a clear, consistent, and evidence-based methodology to define and assess what constitutes a net zero carbon building in the UK context. It is free to access and applicable to both new and existing buildings, helping design teams, asset owners, and policymakers set science-aligned targets and track progress against them.
The Standard represents a shared industry commitment to aligning built environment practices with the UK's climate goals—and an essential tool in transitioning from ambition to implementation.
Continuing the journey
CIBSE continues to embed climate action across everything we do, from publishing leading-edge guidance and tools, to supporting professional development through in-house tailor-made training and CPD. As the challenges grow more complex, we remain focused on equipping the sector with the knowledge, frameworks, and confidence to deliver better-performing, climate-resilient buildings.
During Net Zero Week and beyond, we invite all those involved in shaping the built environment to engage with the resources, standards, and communities that will help turn net zero aspirations into action.
Learn more about CIBSE’s approach to Net Zero HERE