Accelerating Building Decarbonization: Eight Attainable Policy Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Buildings For All

This World Resources Institute working paper outlines eight policy pathways to achieve zero carbon buildings (ZCBs) by combining energy efficiency, renewable energy, and carbon offsets. It emphasizes that cities will lead this transition and that ZCBs are attainable regardless of a country's wealth or development status, citing feasibility studies and consultations in India, China, Mexico, and Kenya.

• The World Resources Institute identifies eight policy pathways to achieve zero carbon buildings (ZCBs) by focusing on operational carbon emissions. These pathways combine up to five components: basic energy efficiency, advanced energy efficiency, on-site carbon-free renewable energy, off-site carbon-free renewable energy, and carbon offsets for remaining energy demand that cannot be met by efficiency and renewables.
• Cities are positioned to lead the transition to net zero carbon buildings. The feasibility of ZCBs increases when the definition is expanded beyond a single building to include municipal portfolios or the use of off-site clean energy.
• Research involving policy reviews and stakeholder consultations in India, China, Mexico, and Kenya indicates that ZCB pathways are feasible today across different national and subnational policy contexts.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Accelerating Building Decarbonization: Eight Attainable Policy Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Buildings For All. https://www.wri.org/research/accelerating-building-decarbonization-eight-attainable-policy-pathways-net-zero-carbon

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Accelerating Building Decarbonization: Eight Attainable Policy Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Buildings For All. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/accelerating-building-decarbonization-eight-attainable-policy-pathways-net-zero-carbon.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Accelerating Building Decarbonization: Eight Attainable Policy Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Buildings For All |url=https://www.wri.org/research/accelerating-building-decarbonization-eight-attainable-policy-pathways-net-zero-carbon |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendaccelerating, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Accelerating Building Decarbonization: Eight Attainable Policy Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Buildings For All}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/accelerating-building-decarbonization-eight-attainable-policy-pathways-net-zero-carbon}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }