ZERO Buildings
Addressing the critical questions & challenges to achieving a net-zero building stock by 2050
The Future of ZERO Buildings Working Group, led by University of Oxford academics, focuses on best practices and future radical innovations for building sector transformation both globally by 2050, and also specifically for University of Oxford buildings by 2035.
The group shapes the strategies and the key challenges to meeting these targets, supported by the University Estates Services and coordinated by the ZERO Institute.
The Future of ZERO Buildings Working Group has four key objectives:
- Knowledge Sharing – Exchange insights and best practices regarding ongoing net-zero initiatives at Oxford.
- Strategy Development – Define and agree on a strategic direction and radical innovations for achieving a net-zero built environment in Oxford by 2035 and globally by 2050.
- Advisory Support – Serve as a reference group, providing guidance and engagement opportunities to support the University of Oxford and Colleges in decarbonising the building sector at Oxford.
- Funding & Collaboration – Strengthen and consolidate a consortium to secure funding for priority areas in the transition to a zero-carbon building sector.
The working group highlights seven key challenges which collectively must be addressed to achieve the net-zero targets, each of which is being tackled by an academic leader.
Policy, management and strategic planning – Prof. Jan Rosenow
The future of digitalisation – Prof. David Wallom
Control and power flexibility – Prof. Thomas Morstyn
Low embodied carbon materials – Prof. Barbara Rossi
Zero-carbon heating and cooling – Prof. Jesus Lizana
Optimal building usage and maintenance – Dr. Marina Topouzi
Health and well-being for all – Prof. Regent Lee
ZERO University Student Competition Team
The ZERO University Student Competition Team, led by Prof. Jesus Lizana, brings together talented students from across the University of Oxford to tackle global net-zero challenges in the built environment. Through participation in prestigious international competitions, participants showcase cutting-edge innovations in sustainable design, engineering and digital solutions, positioning Oxford students at the forefront of the global net-zero transition.
The student branch currently has teams participating in the following competitions: 2026 ASHRAE Design Competition – Category: HVAC System Selection, 2026 ASHRAE Building Energy Quotient Competition and 2026 ASHRAE HVAC&R Student Paper Competition.
Rising Star Award 2025 ASHRAE Global Student Competition
Undergraduate engineering students Helena Paice and Yu Chen won the ‘Building Energy Quotient’ category, from entries across over 100 universities worldwide, with a complete energy diagnosis and net-zero intervention for Lincoln College.
2025 ASHRAE Region XIV Net-Zero Building Design Competition
DPhil students Cuicheng Zhang, Nethmi Jayaratne Kariyawasam and Gayatri Sundar Rajan, jointly won 1st Prize as part of the RISE-UP team, a UK-wide collaboration involving Oxford, Loughborough, London South Bank and Exeter Universities, for their work on net-zero data centres.
More from ZERO Institute
About the ZERO Institute
We want to shape the transition to a just and fair global zero-carbon energy system, through research that unifies technology, policy, and people.
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The ZERO Institute is a multi-disciplinary hub for zero-carbon energy research, bringing together academics from across the University of Oxford.
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