A socio-technical framework of zero-carbon building policies

Zero-carbon building (ZCB) is regarded as an innovative and important approach to reducing both carbon emissions and energy consumption. Policies promoting ZCB have been explicitly set in several countries and regions. Other countries have developed relevant initiatives or demonstration projects. However, the sharing of knowledge of policies on ZCB is limited and challenging. A socio-technical transition framework is developed based on an examination of ZCB policies and the supporting literature. This framework depicts the technical systems of ZCB policies within the regulatory, social and geographical contexts. The technical systems comprise four components: carbon reduction targets and a timeline; a ZCB definition and scope; a carbon emission measure and indicator; and a reliance on renewable energy. This systems approach shows that reliance on only technical solutions is constrained to achieving the zero-carbon target, yet human behaviours are poorly addressed in the policies. Thus, a significant gap exists between policy intentions and actual practices. The developed framework can inform discussion on current and future ZCB policies.