By Mark Reinbold, Vice President, Global Sustainability Services & Solutions at Johnson Controls
As more than 100 world leaders return home after a promising COP26 Summit, and hundreds of organizations begin announcing their renewed commitment to sustainability, they’ll each have one thing in common: the need for a tangible plan to meet the decarbonization goals they’re promising and a proven partner to help see them through. Without a trusted partner, a successful implementation of net zero emissions may prove to be rarer than the rarest earthly elements.

As a leader in building spaces for more than 135 years, Johnson Controls has been and continues to be a pioneer in sustainability. We are a proud member of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, an informal group facilitated by the World Economic Forum that unites chief executive officers of companies that have committed to or have already set Paris Agreement-aligned targets across their value chains.

In addition to participating in the Alliance and urging other organizations to use COP26 as an opportunity to pledge to limiting the global average temperature through emissions reduction, Johnson Controls also recently committed to the World Economic Forum’s Green Buildings Principles. With the building sector contributing 38% of all energy-related greenhouse emissions, it is up to business leaders like myself and my colleagues at Johnson Controls to play a meaningful role in lowering our global real estate emissions.

These principles create an action plan for organizations in every industry that will deliver net zero carbon buildings. We strive to be a role model for other organizations, to encourage them to formally adopt the principles and make the same pledge as Johnson Controls – to reduce our building-related emissions by 50% by 2030 and deliver net zero portfolios by 2050.

The Green Building Principles Action Plan for Net Zero Carbon Buildings consists of the following principles 1 :

1. Calculate a robust carbon footprint of your portfolio in the most recent representative year to inform targets.
2. Set a target year for achieving net zero, by 2050 at the latest, and an interim target for reducing at least 50% of these emissions by 2030.
3. Measure and record embodied carbon of new developments and major refurbishments.
4. Maximize emissions reductions for all new developments and major refurbishments in the pipeline to ensure delivery of net zero carbon (operational and embodied) by the selected final target year.
5. Drive energy optimization across both existing assets and new developments.
6. Maximize supply of on-site renewable energy.
7. Ensure 100% off-site energy is procured from renewable-backed sources, where available.
8. Engage with stakeholders with whom you have influence in your value chain to reduce 3 scope emissions.
9. Compensate for any residual emissions by purchasing high-quality carbon offsets.
10. Engage with stakeholders to identify joint endeavors and equitably share costs and benefits of interventions.

For many organizations, the choice has never been easier – you can achieve Net Zero the hard way, managing budgets and dozens of business partners, or you can work with one budget and one partner who has delivered net zero campuses from the equator to the artic circle.

To read the full report and learn more about how your organization can make the pledge, visit www.weforum.org/realestate/green-buildings. For more information about Johnson Controls sustainability efforts, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/corporate-sustainability/environment.