Terminology and Definitions for Low Carbon Construction

CSA Group
Standards Development Organisation:
Canadian Standards Association (operating as CSA Group)
Working Program:
View the CSA work program
Designation Number:
CSA Z784
Standard Type:
National Standard of Canada - Domestic
Standard Development Activity:
New Standard
ICS code(s):
91.100
Status:
Proceeding to development
SDO Comment Period Start Date:
SDO Comment Period End Date:
Posted On:

Scope:

Scope: 

The proposed standard will establish a glossary of terms and definitions on low carbon construction along the full life cycle of construction, applicable to both operational and embodied carbon emission reductions. The terms will include, but not be limited to, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, life-cycle assessments, low carbon materials, products and systems, building renovations, retrofits and deconstruction, among others.

The standard will provide guidance supporting private and public actors to move in a coherent manner towards low carbon construction in line with key national priorities such as decarbonization and Canada’s net-zero carbon emissions economy by 2050. It will improve understanding on how low carbon construction may help enhance construction materials, products and systems, in terms of innovative low carbon and digitized solutions, manufacturing practices and quantification methods.

Project need:

There is currently a lack of awareness, understanding and consensus amongst organizations regarding definitions of low carbon along the full life cycle of construction: from design and engineering to the end of life of buildings, materials, products and components.

The new standard is proposed as result of requests by industry and governments to establish a glossary of definitions on low carbon construction and, as such, provide guidance and support allowing organizations to move toward decarbonization practices at scale.

This proposed  New Standard is being developed as part of efforts to support the decarbonization of the building sector, in line with federal government priorities . 

 

The Standard will benefit a range of interested parties, including:

  • Manufacturers of construction materials, products and systems
    • Code developers, government
    • Owners/operators
    • Utilities
    • Regulatory agencies
    • Facility managers.

Note: The information provided above was obtained by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and is provided as part of a centralized, transparent notification system for new standards development. The system allows SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), and members of the public, to be informed of new work in Canadian standards development, and allows SCC-accredited SDOs to identify and resolve potential duplication of standards and effort.

Individual SDOs are responsible for the content and accuracy of the information presented here. The text is presented in the language in which it was provided to SCC.