Constructing a better future, with ISO 52000-1 - the holistic approach
From ISO News article by Clare Naden on 11 May 2020:
We often think of planes and cars as the biggest polluters, but did you know the construction industry, which designs the buildings we live and work in, is one of the most polluting in the world? It therefore offers enormous potential to make our environment more sustainable. Progress is being made – but more can be done.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH
Achieving sustainability in buildings is a global concern. At the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit in September 2019, a commitment was made to achieve a zero-carbon building sector and contribute USD 1 trillion in building investments in developing countries by 2030. At the same time, the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance was created, an international group of institutional investors, which together represent nearly USD 4 trillion in managed assets and have committed to transitioning their investment portfolios to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
While the many initiatives, commitments and incentive schemes are essential, practical tools are needed to enable everyone to turn this will into a way. This, said Emma Risén, Manager of ISO/TC 163, ISO’s technical committee for measuring energy use in buildings, is where standards play a vital role. “In order to make positive change, we need to know what base we are starting from and what progress we are making. Internationally agreed standards for measuring the various criteria of a building that is working towards reduced carbon emissions are the means to do that.”
The ISO 52000 series is a good example. It was developed to help organizations contribute to the zero-carbon goal by helping them assess the energy performance of buildings in a holistic way. These documents contain a comprehensive method for calculating primary energy used for heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation and domestic hot water of buildings. They can help further the cause of energy efficiency in building by allowing the performance measurement of new materials, technology and approaches to building design, construction and management.