Airocle at the Net Zero Construction Summit

Airocle at the Net Zero Construction Summit 2025

The 2nd annual Net Zero Construction Summit hosted by Future Place, brought together industry leaders, sustainability experts, and innovators, all focused on the same goal: accelerating the transition to net-zero in construction.

With growing pressure to cut emissions and reduce energy consumption, the event sparked important conversations on how we can build better, smarter, and more sustainably.

As a Diamond Partner, Airocle played a key role in the summit, contributing to discussions, by Jordan Chia, our Product and Design Manager, on natural ventilation, an often overlooked but highly effective solution in sustainable building.

For decades, mechanical ventilation has been the default in building design, while natural ventilation (despite its proven energy savings and carbon reduction), continues to be sidelined.

In this blog, we break down the key themes, expert insights, and most significant takeaways from the summit, including:

• Why natural ventilation should be at the forefront of net-zero design
• The financial and environmental cost of mechanical ventilation
• Challenges in the industry, and how we can overcome them
• The surprising oversight in NABERS and Green Star sustainability ratings

Key Themes & Takeaways from the Net Zero Construction Summit

The 2nd Annual Net Zero Construction Summit convened leading figures in sustainable building, all united by a common goal: to accelerate the transition to net-zero in construction.

Notable speakers included Patrick Hastings, Chief Impact Officer at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council; Sam Donaldson, Hub Sustainability Leader at Laing O’Rourke; and Alison Scotland, CEO of the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council. Several key themes emerged, throughout the event, shaping the conversation around the future of our industry.

1. The Urgency of Embodied Carbon Reduction

While operational carbon (emissions from energy use in buildings) has been a primary focus for years, there’s growing recognition that embodied carbon, the emissions generated during material production, transportation, and construction, must be addressed urgently. Experts emphasised the need for:

• • Low-carbon materials such as recycled steel, mass timber, and sustainable concrete alternatives.
  • Circular construction practices that reduce waste and promote material reuse.
  • Lifecycle assessments (LCA) to evaluate a building’s total carbon impact from design to demolition.

2. The Role of Natural Ventilation in Net-Zero Design

A recurring theme throughout the summit was the push for smarter, passive design strategies, yet natural ventilation remains an afterthought in many projects. Jordan Chia’s presentation highlighted a crucial point:

Ignoring natural ventilation in building design isn’t just an oversight, it’s an expensive mistake.

By prioritising passive airflow solutions, buildings can significantly reduce their reliance on energy-intensive mechanical HVAC systems. This leads to:

• Lower carbon emissions from reduced energy consumption.
• Improved indoor air quality and occupant well-being.
• Long-term cost savings on operational expenses.

The message was clear: natural ventilation isn’t just a sustainability feature; it’s a necessity in the pursuit of net-zero in construction.

The Hidden Cost of Carbon: Why Ignoring Natural Ventilation is a Price We Can’t Afford

One of the standout moments of the summit was Jordan Chia’s presentation, where he tackled a crucial but often ignored issue: the hidden cost of carbon when mechanical ventilation is prioritised over natural ventilation.

Many buildings default to mechanical ventilation, assuming it’s the only way to maintain air quality and thermal comfort. But the reality? This approach comes with significant financial and environmental costs.

A case study shared during the presentation revealed some eye-opening figures:

• A standard warehouse using mechanical ventilation consumes around 40,000 kWh per year, resulting in an energy bill of $8,760 annually and 22,000 kg of CO₂ emissions.
• By switching to natural ventilation, these numbers are eliminated, slashing energy consumption, operational costs, and carbon footprint.

How Natural Ventilation Makes a Difference

Jordan demonstrated the impact of natural ventilation using the Airocle 4 Series Ridge Vent, showing that a single system could replace the need for 62 mechanical 500mm (1.5kWh) fans in a warehouse.

The benefits?

• Cost savings range from $43,942 (Brisbane) to $46,454 (Sydney)
• Carbon emissions savings range from 40,000 kg CO₂ (Sydney) to 53,000 kg CO₂ (Brisbane)
• Improved thermal comfort—5°C cooler on average
• Minimal maintenance compared to mechanical systems

A compelling real-world example from Erskine Park, NSW, showed how natural ventilation alone kept a 48,000m² warehouse feeling as though it was air-conditioned, even on 36°C days.

“We installed a full-length Airocle ridge vent… The system is excellent and even on 36°C days, the building feels as though it is air-conditioned.”
— Malcolm Stoddart, GM Facilities and Services

Jordan’s key takeaway was clear: natural ventilation is a no-brainer. It’s cost-effective, energy-efficient, and a major step toward achieving net-zero in construction.
Yet, despite its proven advantages, it’s often overlooked in building design.

The question isn’t “Can we afford to use natural ventilation?” but rather “Can we afford not to?”

The NABERS & Green Star Oversight: Why Isn’t Natural Ventilation Recognised?

One of the biggest surprises at the Net Zero Construction Summit was the suggestion that Airocle should partner with NABERS and Green Star, two of Australia’s leading sustainability rating systems. These programs assess and reward businesses for their environmental performance, influencing how buildings are designed, constructed, and operated.

However, many attendees were shocked to learn that natural ventilation isn’t included in these assessments at all.

Despite the well-documented energy savings and carbon reductions associated with natural ventilation, NABERS and Green Star primarily focus on mechanical systems when rating buildings for sustainability. This raises an important question:

Why is mechanical ventilation, which consumes energy, seen as more sustainable than a system that requires none?

The answer lies in how sustainability ratings have evolved. These frameworks were initially designed to measure energy efficiency, rather than passive design. As a result:

• Mechanical ventilation is measurable—energy consumption, efficiency ratings, and carbon offsets can be easily quantified.
• There is a bias toward tech-driven solutions—modern sustainability efforts often prioritise high-tech, data-driven solutions, even when simpler, passive alternatives may be more effective.

The Need for Change

The exclusion of natural ventilation from NABERS and Green Star highlights a critical gap in how we define sustainability. True net-zero in construction isn’t just about reducing energy use through efficiency, it’s about designing buildings that require less energy in the first place.

For sustainability frameworks to be truly effective, they must evolve to acknowledge the power of passive design strategies like natural ventilation. If these rating systems incentivised natural airflow solutions, more businesses would be encouraged to incorporate them, leading to lower emissions, reduced energy demand, and greater long-term sustainability.

Airocle has tried to engage with NABERS and Green Star to push for the recognition of natural ventilation in sustainability assessments. However, despite our efforts, we’ve been left on read, with no real response or action taken.

If these frameworks truly aim to drive sustainable change, it’s time they acknowledge passive ventilation as a legitimate, measurable solution rather than continuing to favour energy-consuming mechanical systems.

Closing the Gap to Net Zero

The Net Zero Construction Summit wasn’t just an opportunity for Airocle to connect with like-minded professionals, it was a powerful reminder of the critical role natural ventilation plays in sustainable building design. The conversations reinforced what we already know: there’s a significant gap between recognising the importance of passive design and actually integrating it into net-zero strategies.

To truly accelerate the transition to net-zero, the industry must move beyond energy-efficient mechanical systems and start prioritising solutions that eliminate energy use altogether. Passive design isn’t an afterthought, it’s a key driver of sustainable, cost-effective construction.

Let’s build better, together.

Looking to make your next project more sustainable and cost-effective? Get in touch with our team today.