"Fundamental shift in how performance is defined and delivered”: NFRC welcomes UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard

Under the standard, buildings will now be judged on how they actually perform, with at least 12 months of independently verified data required. 

NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) has published a new position paper setting out what the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (UKNZCBS) means for roofers, specifiers and the wider supply chain. 

“The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard represents a fundamental shift in how building performance is defined and delivered. For the roofing sector, it brings both increased responsibility and significant opportunity,” writes Gary Walpole, NFRC technical safety, health and environment officer, in the position paper. 

The UKNZCBS formally recognises what NFRC has long argued: that the roof is central to a building's environmental performance, and the industry must now adapt its practices to meet that responsibility head-on.

Rather than ticking boxes at the design stage, under the standard, buildings will now be judged on how they actually perform, with at least 12 months of independently verified data required. The voluntary standard will increasingly be required for public sector projects, and adoption across the wider market is expected to grow rapidly. 

The standard puts the roof space squarely in the spotlight. Roofing systems directly affect a building's thermal performance, airtightness, energy generation and whole-life carbon impact.  

The paper highlights several key implications for the industry and discusses them from a top-level perspective: 

• Embodied carbon: Over-specified roof build-ups carry a measurable carbon penalty. Every layer must be justified. 
• EPDs are increasing in importance: Without verified Environmental Product Declarations, carbon calculations default to conservative figures that can disadvantage projects. 
• Workmanship is now a carbon issue: Poor installation leads to early failure, which means repair, replacement and more embodied carbon. Getting it right first time is non-negotiable. 
• Roofs will do more: PV systems, heat pumps, drainage attenuation and plant are all heading roofward. Coordination from day one is critical. 

NFRC is calling on architects, designers and clients to bring roofing contractors and roof design teams into the process early, not as an afterthought.  

“Architects and clients should engage roofing contractors and suppliers early in the design process to optimise roof build-ups, reduce embodied carbon and coordinate integration with other rooftop elements like PV systems, plant and drainage strategies. This avoids late design changes that can compromise performance and buildability,” writes Gary.  

The full position paper is available for download at https://www.nfrc.co.uk/resource/uk-net-zero-carbon-need-to-know.html 

About NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors)

NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) is the UK’s largest trade association for the roofing and cladding industry, with over 1,350 Members, representing the entire roofing supply chain from contractors to merchants to manufacturers.