Impact of New Zealand's 2025 Mandatory Carbon Counting

Impact of New Zealand's 2025 Mandatory Carbon Counting | One Click LCA

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The regulation is a significant industry shift aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of new buildings

Starting in 2025, New Zealand will enforce mandatory carbon counting for the construction industry, a significant regulatory shift aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of new buildings. This initiative is part of the Government's broader strategy to combat climate change, with a focus on both embodied carbon and operational carbon emissions associated with building materials.

Understanding the new regulations

From 2025, obtaining building consent will require a detailed report of the embodied and operational carbon of the project. The Government will collect and review these reports during the initial year to establish specific carbon caps that will apply from 2026 to 2030. This proactive measure underscores the urgency of managing carbon emissions, a sentiment echoed by industry leaders who believe this policy is crucial for environmental sustainability.

Implications for architecture and construction

Architects and builders will need to integrate carbon accounting into their project planning. This includes using environmental product declarations (EPDs) to accurately report the carbon content of materials used. Products with verified EPDs will likely become more prevalent, as those without may pose compliance risks or incur higher costs due to the need for additional verification processes. This shift will influence material selection and could potentially drive up design costs due to the increased research required.

Strategies for compliance

To stay ahead of these regulations, professionals can adopt several strategies:

Integrate environmental assessments early: Involving experts in the early stages of design can help ensure that projects meet carbon targets from the outset.
Material selection: Choosing materials with lower embodied carbon and those with certified EPDs will be crucial.
Innovative design approaches: Designing with deconstruction in mind can enhance the sustainability of a project. Reusing materials and designing for longer life spans will contribute positively toward meeting carbon caps.

The role of technology and innovation

Advancements in technology will also play a pivotal role. For instance, the use of building information modelling (BIM) can help in predicting and optimizing the carbon footprint of buildings even before construction begins.

In addition, integrating life-cycle assessment (LCA) software is set to become crucial under New Zealand's new construction carbon regulations. Such technology enables architects and builders to perform comprehensive analyses of the environmental impacts associated with building materials over their entire life span — from extraction and manufacturing to disposal. By utilizing LCA software, professionals can identify and optimize the embodied carbon metrics of materials used in their projects, ensuring compliance with the stringent caps set for 2026 onwards. This not only facilitates a smoother consent process but also promotes the adoption of greener, more sustainable materials that meet regulatory requirements and reduce overall environmental impact. As the industry adapts to these changes, the role of advanced LCA tools in achieving compliance and fostering innovation in sustainable building practices becomes increasingly important.

Looking forward

The mandatory carbon counting initiative is expected to transform how the construction industry operates in New Zealand. It will encourage more sustainable practices and innovations, aligning with global efforts to mitigate climate change impacts. As the industry adapts to these changes, continuous learning and adaptation will be key to success.

For those in the construction and design sectors, embracing these changes will be essential as they navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the new mandate.

The One Click LCA end-to-end sustainability platform

One Click LCA is the world-leading end-to-end sustainability platform for construction and manufacturing. The AI-powered software decarbonizes and drives sustainability across the construction value chain with scientific, easy-to-use, automated life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) to calculate and reduce the environmental impacts of building, infrastructure, and renovation projects and products. The platform also allows assessment of circularity, life-cycle cost, and biodiversity. One Click LCA is used in 170+ countries, including by blue-chip enterprises like Skanska, WSP, Foster+Partners, LafargeHolcim, ArcelorMittal, Arcadis, ARUP, Geberit, and Saint-Gobain, among others. It offers a unique global database with +250,000 LCA datasets; supports +80 standards and certifications, including LEED, BREEAM, GRESB and other national regulations; and seamlessly integrates with +20 of the most widely used BIM software tools, including Autodesk Revit®, Tekla Structures® and Bentley iTwin®.