The International Living Future Institute (ILFI) has announced a pivotal collaboration with Amazon, JLL, JPMorgan Chase, and Prologis. This strategic partnership is set to redefine ILFI’s Zero Carbon Certification programme, which has been a leading standard for measuring and achieving carbon neutrality in the real estate sector.
The Zero Carbon Certification programme, originally launched in 2018, has established itself as the gold standard for assessing the embodied and operational carbon emissions of buildings. As the building sector is a major contributor to global carbon emissions, this updated programme aims to address both current and future challenges in building decarbonisation. The officials underscored the importance of these developments: “The built environment community understands the strategies needed to reduce emissions. At ILFI, we recognise that scaling these solutions is essential. We are excited to collaborate with these industry leaders to create more accessible and effective pathways for decarbonisation across all building types and scales.”
JLL’s Head of Sustainability Consulting for North America, highlighted the pressing challenges in decarbonising existing buildings. “One of the main obstacles is the lack of consistent data and standards,” officials said. “This new certification will provide a structured approach for validating and verifying the decarbonisation efforts of individual assets, which is a critical need for the industry. The framework we are developing will offer both the tools and accountability required to meet ambitious decarbonisation targets.” The updated certification programme will require projects to assess and report opportunities for reducing embodied carbon in stages B1-B5 of the Lifecycle Assessment (LCA). It will also mandate that all projects track the full lifecycle of the building’s carbon impacts, extending beyond the initial design and construction phases. The implications of these updates are far-reaching. The introduction of a certification pathway for existing buildings addresses a significant gap in the market, providing a comprehensive framework for the decarbonisation of current building stock. This initiative aligns with the broader goal of meeting global net-zero carbon targets and offers a robust model for integrating carbon reduction measures into both new and existing buildings.
The Managing Director and Head of Global Design and Construction at JPMorgan Chase, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “Our collaboration with ILFI on Zero Carbon pilots, including the world’s first Zero Carbon Certified branch, has been immensely rewarding. We are eager to apply the new Zero Carbon standards to our future projects, advancing sustainability practices and supporting community and customer engagement.” As the real estate sector continues to grapple with the challenge of reducing carbon emissions, the enhanced Zero Carbon Certification programme represents a critical step forward. The combined expertise of ILFI, Amazon, JLL, JPMorgan Chase, and Prologis will drive significant advancements in carbon management practices, setting new benchmarks for the industry.
