Low Carbon Building Criteria – Frequently Asked Questions

The document explains the eligibility and certification process for Low Carbon Buildings Bonds, detailing the pathways to achieve net-zero by 2050 and the specific requirements for new and existing buildings. It outlines the use of trajectories and proxies to measure emissions intensity and highlights new 2023 requirements for new buildings, including the prohibition of fossil fuels and mandatory Whole Life Carbon Assessments.

• The Low-Carbon Buildings Criteria offer two pathways to achieve net-zero by 2050 aligned with the 1.5°C scenario and the Paris Agreement: the Absolute Performance Improvement Pathway and the Relative Performance Improvement Pathway.
• Certification eligibility is determined by either a quantitative threshold (emissions intensity meeting a location-specific performance target) or a qualitative proxy (a building rating approved by Climate Bonds).
• Trajectories are the preferred measure of emissions intensity [kg CO2e/m2] and are developed by drawing a linear pathway from the top performers in a city down to zero carbon by 2050. Proxies are used only as temporary measures for cities where a trajectory has not yet been developed.
• Updated December 2023 requirements for new buildings mandate that no fossil fuels be used for cooking, heating, hot water, or on-site electricity generation, and that infrastructure for electric mobility be provided where on-site parking exists.
• New buildings must now undergo mandatory reporting of Whole Life Carbon Analysis (WLC) according to RICS Guidance, including GHG Protocol Scope 3 emissions.
• While LEED Gold combined with a 30% improvement on ASHRAE 90.1 is eligible under the criteria, the BREEAM rating scheme is not considered well correlated with carbon emissions.
• Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) and non-financial corporate entities can be certified under the Climate Bonds Standards V4.0, but this is currently limited to commercial properties.

APA

Climate Bonds Initiative (2023). Low Carbon Building Criteria – Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/sector-criteria-buildings-faqs-v2_0-dec2023.pdf

Chicago

Climate Bonds Initiative. Low Carbon Building Criteria – Frequently Asked Questions. 2023. https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/sector-criteria-buildings-faqs-v2_0-dec2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Bonds Initiative |title=Low Carbon Building Criteria – Frequently Asked Questions |date=December 2023 |url=https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/sector-criteria-buildings-faqs-v2_0-dec2023.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatebondsinitiative2023low, author = {{Climate Bonds Initiative}}, title = {{Low Carbon Building Criteria – Frequently Asked Questions}}, institution = {Climate Bonds Initiative}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://www.climatebonds.net/files/drupal-files/files/sector-criteria-buildings-faqs-v2_0-dec2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }