From education to healthcare: How Net Zero Buildings can help organisations cut carbon and waste

The journey to net zero can feel like a big one. Organisations across every sector are facing growing pressure to find ways to reduce their carbon footprint, use resources more responsibly and make meaningful progress towards their sustainability goals.

Multiple awareness days and weeks – like Zero Waste Week (7-11 September 2026) – offer a harsh annual reminder to businesses about their often slow pace of progress.

But it doesn’t have to be hard. Net Zero Buildings (NZB), Premier Modular’s sister company, considers carbon reduction for the whole life of a building – from design through to the end of its life. It creates sustainable new spaces designed to reduce the environmental impact of construction, while helping organisations improve energy efficiency and reduce operational carbon. It also provides monitoring, measurement and the data needed to make ongoing carbon reporting easier.

The principles behind Net Zero Buildings

Net zero should be considered from the earliest stages of design and procurement, rather than simply meeting the minimum requirements once the building is erected.

From the very beginning, there are several energy, carbon and regulatory requirements to keep in mind – from how energy use is reported to the standards buildings need to meet.

The top sustainability regulations to be aware of in net zero construction

• Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) – this mandatory UK government framework introduced in April 2019 requires large companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) to report energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in annual reports.
• Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) – requires large organisations to carry out energy assessments and identify opportunities to save energy. Building efficiency can be an important part of these assessments.
• UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) and climate-related disclosures – provide a framework for reporting on sustainability and climate-related matters, including emissions, climate risks and transition plans.
• Part L of the UK Building Regulations – sets minimum requirements for the energy-efficiency of buildings. While meeting Part L is essential, organisations looking to make meaningful progress towards net zero may want to aim beyond these minimum standards.

But meeting regulatory requirements is just one part of the picture. There are several other factors that can influence a building’s overall sustainability credentials:

Broader considerations in net zero construction

• Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and equivalent standards – recognised frameworks for demonstrating sustainable building performance across areas such as energy, materials, water and ecology.
• Whole-life/embodied carbon – considers the carbon associated with a building’s materials and construction, as well as transport, operation, maintenance and eventual end-of-life.
• Procurement requirements – particularly in the public sector, tenders may include Carbon Reduction Plans and net zero criteria.
• Corporate net zero commitments – a building’s performance can contribute to an organisation’s carbon reduction strategy, including reductions across Scope 1 (direct emissions), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy) and Scope 3 (other indirect emissions across the value chain).

Putting the principles into practice: Treetops Free School

Treetops Free School in Grays, Essex, is a 3,293m² school designed to show what a more sustainable future for education looks like. Commissioned through the DfE’s MMC1 framework, the modular building uses structural timber panels, extensive insulation and sustainably sourced materials.

It’s entirely electrically powered and incorporates PV panels generating 300kW annually, saving around £9,000 a year. Designed to achieve net zero in operation, the school also achieved an EPC A+ rating and was the first project completed under the government’s Carbon Pathfinder scheme.

The opportunity for commercial projects

For commercial operations, Net Zero Buildings offers a practical way to improve energy performance while keeping a close eye on running costs.

The NZB team can help reduce operational energy use and associated emissions, support corporate net zero and ESG goals, and provide useful evidence for reporting requirements such as SECR and ESOS disclosures.

Going beyond minimum Part L requirements and working towards BREEAM or equivalent standards can also help future-proof new buildings as sustainability expectations continue to evolve, while considering whole-life carbon from the outset.

What does this mean for healthcare buildings?

Healthcare buildings have a particularly demanding energy profile, with services and equipment often needing to operate around the clock. Net Zero Buildings can help reduce energy use and operational carbon without compromising the resilience, comfort or reliability that clinical settings require.

Considering whole-life carbon can further reduce the impact of new healthcare facilities, while stronger environmental performance can support wider NHS and public sector commitments, including Carbon Reduction Plans and the net zero criteria associated with procurement and tenders.

Read Net Zero Buildings’ case studies to find out more or contact the team.