CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard is Canada’s first green building program to make carbon emissions the key indicator for building performance.

Zero Carbon Building – Performance

At its heart, the program is about demonstrating a zero carbon balance in building operations year after year. Buildings that achieve a zero-carbon balance and meet the other requirements for existing buildings earn Zero Carbon Building - Performance certification. This certification is awarded based on a twelve-month period of operations, and performance must be verified annually. Project teams are required to evaluate energy use holistically, including impacts on peak electricity, and determine the GHG emissions associated with structural and envelope materials. Recognizing the inherent challenges to retrofitting existing buildings, this certification does not require a minimum of onsite renewable energy or a minimum level of thermal energy demand performance.