The eThekwini Municipal team, working on the New Buildings Programme, realised the need to create a set of broad technical guidelines for net-zero carbon buildings, specific to the City’s context that developers and other stakeholders can use​ as a reference when planning new developments. This led to the New Buildings Programme developing a relationship with the South African Chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to collaborate on the development of a guideline for net-zero carbon buildings. 

The ASHRAE guide will serve as a support to developers by providing an overview of the concept of net-zero carbon buildings in South Africa, and aims to give guidance and references to approaching a net–zero carbon project. The focus is on new and existing commercial buildings, mainly offices, with some reference to the residential sector.

It has been produced as a collaboration between C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) South Africa Buildings Programme, ASHRAE South African Chapter, The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) and the eThekwini Municipality. 

The guide to developing net zero carbon buildings in South Africa gives a thorough overview on net zero carbon buildings in South Africa. It provides guidance to professional teams considering developing a net zero carbon building and shows those shaping the built environment in South Africa that it is possible.

The Guide can be found here​.​​​​​​