Net zero carbon objectives are driving many things, including the commercial real estate industry. They’re also driving cities, prompting leaders to take a better look at the urban built environment. A recent article in Urban Land noted that “planners, designers and builders need to take a whole-city approach to sustainability.” This includes, but isn’t limited to, infrastructure and transit-oriented developments.

While reducing energy consumption and relying on low-carbon materials can help the move toward net-zero goals, the Urban Land article suggested that the following top-five elements come into play to ensure that structures are built or upgraded toward sustainable metrics.

1. Site Selection

Site selection should be directed to transit-supportive infill sites. Examples presented were in Detroit’s and Cleveland’s downtown area, which are “being radically transformed from former industrial zones into economically vibrant, socially robust, and mixed-use communities well served by public transit.” Bedrock, Detroit’s largest commercial property owner (and one of the largest in Cleveland) has been taking the lead on these redevelopments.

2. Construction Method Controls

Here, the article suggests that municipalities require use of locally sourced, sustainable building materials, “ideally with rapidly renewable resources.” This can include low-carbon materials. Also important is material durability; what’s used should last for generations.

3. High-Performing Building Envelope Design and Deployment

Building designs should be airtight, have thermal breaks and, if possible, should add to energy generation. This is especially the case when retrofitting very old buildings. “Eliminating thermal bridges and creating better, high-performing building envelopes are keys to reducing the energy use of these structures,” according to the article.

4. Passive Design Inclusion

The goal of passive design is to create indoor climate systems driven by natural phenomena. Passive-designed buildings use few conventional energy sources “move fluids and air in and through a building,” the article noted. Passive designs can be incorporated in a building at the planning stage. The article also noted that new buildings or retrofits need to consider local climate conditions for a sustainable operation.

5. Clean Energy and High-Performance HVAC Installations

While 100% of passive strategies is the ultimate goal, the article acknowledged that this isn’t always possible. When relying on HVAC systems to carry some of the weight, high-performance mechanical systems should be combined with high-performance envelopes as well. This is especially the case for buildings that operate on a clean energy platform. Thes can “make very positive and effective contributions toward achieving net zero goals,” the article said.