Can you have a zero carbon building? The answer is “no”. With John Butler (Sustainable Build Consultancy; CAT)

If you’re looking to understand how to approach carbon accounting in the built environment, we’ve got you. Brought in to tackle some big questions around accounting for carbon we were joined by sustainable building expert John Butler. 

Jeff’s been talking about getting John on for ages, for reasons he explains in the episode, and when we caught sight of an article he’s co-authored for the next issue of Passive House Plus we realised that we had the perfect excuse.

John provides us with a lot of experience and context for understanding the subject. It’s a nerdy episode too, in a good way, so it may bear a few listens because we cover a lot in an hour. 

We start with a discussion of the process of creating the underlying EPD data for straw and go from there, through making net calculations, accounting for carbon stored in buildings, institutional guidance, concrete and carbonation. 

Notes from the show

• John on LinkedIn 
• John's Sustainable Build Consultancy website
• The RICS Whole Life Carbon methodology
• The LETI Climate Emergency Design Guide

Last call for Retrofit Reimagined
If you're near Glasgow on 11 November, go!


**SOME SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**
We don't actually earn anything from this, and it's quite a lot of work, so we have to promote the day jobs.

• Jeff, Alex, and Dan about websites, branding, and communications - [e-mail]; Everything is User Experience
• Follow us on the Zero Ambitions LinkedIn page
• Subscribe and advertise with Passive House Plus (UK edition here too)
• Check Lloyd's Substack: Carbon Upfront
• Join ACAN
• Join the AECB 
• Join the IGBC
• Check out Her Own Space, the renovation and retrofit platform for women (but not in a patronising way)

**END OF SELF-PROMOTING CALLS TO ACTION**

What is Zero Ambitions Podcast?

Zero Ambitions is a consultancy and weekly podcast about sustainability and the built environment.

We find interesting and experienced guests who know what they're talking about, usually to discuss how we navigate the complexity of decarbonisation and sustainability in the built environment and its many related sectors.

The success of the podcast has seen it grow into a consultancy, Zero Ambitions Partners. The consultancy works with blue chip clients, public sector institutions, and niche-market innovators that operate in the built environment, advising about the development and delivery of sustainability strategy and how it should be communicated.

Hosted by Jeff Colley (Passive House Plus), Dan Hyde (Everything is User Experience) and Alex Blondin (Everything is User Experience).