想要營建一棟不需仰賴外部電力網供電，且運作成本和價格又可被市場接受的「碳平衡」建築，似乎仍是不可觸及的夢想；然而，世界企業永續發展委員會（WBCSD）正逐漸朝此理想邁進，夢想即將成真。該委員會3月29日宣布，他們正聯合全球企業一同努力，確保在2050年之前所有新建的建築皆達可到「碳平衡」的標準。
目前已有兩家公司從最基礎開始研發碳平衡建築：一是「聯合科技公司」（United Technologies Corp.），該公司為世界最大的資本貨物供應商，專門為商業大樓營造商供應電梯、冷暖氣及備用電力系統等資本貨物。另一家是「拉法基集團」（Lafarge Group），該集團是全世界建築材料的龍頭廠商，產品包含水泥、混凝土、拌水泥用的粒料、石膏及屋頂材料。
世界企業永續發展委員會執行長斯蒂格森（Bjorn Stigson）的想法是和有專業技術的企業策略聯盟，並認為沒有任何單一組織或政府能獨力完成這項任務。斯蒂格森指出：「我們堅信這項行動能發展出極具成本效益的最終解決方案。」
根據經濟合作發展組織（OECD）一民主工業國公會組織的統計，在現今已開發國家中，建築物所消耗的能源已達到總體能源消耗的40%。若要建造一棟不依附任何電力網的建築物，除了要有獨立發電系統外，還必須結合使用超效能的建築材料和設備。
聯合科技公司子公司UTC總裁杜昆（Jan van Dokkum）指出：「未來的建築物在能源方面應能自已自足並達到碳排放平衡標準，要達到這點，得藉由在建物設計中併入再生能源來源考量、最佳化能源使用效率支持系統，並善用地理和文化上可行的營建方式。」
目前綠建築雖已在世界各地樹立各自不同的標竿，但因其所費不貲間，仍未廣為一般承包商所採用。不過，碳平衡建築計劃將在現有實例的基礎之上繼續努力，期望能取得建築物成本及效益的平衡點，並藉由和建築師、營造商、供應商及建物所有人的密切合作來宣揚一個更為永續的未來建築方案。
Buildings that use no energy from external power grids, are carbon neutral, and can be built and operated at fair market values may sound like dream buildings today, but the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is working towards making that dream a reality. The Council announced today that it is forming an alliance of global companies to ensure that by 2050 all new buildings meet these standards.
The two companies that are in on the ground floor of this effort are United Technologies Corp., the world's largest supplier of capital goods including elevators, cooling and heating and on-site power systems to the commercial building industry, and Lafarge Group, the world leader in building materials including cement, concrete, aggregates, gypsum and roofing.
WBCSD President Bjorn Stigson's idea is to partner with companies that have technological expertise and presence that no single existing organization or government could provide on its own. "We believe this initiative can provide extremely cost-effective solutions," Stigson said.
Buildings today account for 40 percent of energy consumption in developed countries according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an association of industrial democracies. Constructing buildings that use no net energy from power grids will require a combination of onsite power generation and ultra-efficient building materials and equipment.
"Buildings of tomorrow should be self-sufficient in energy and have carbon neutral emissions," said Jan van Dokkum, president of UTC Power, a United Technologies company. "This can be done by incorporating renewable energy sources into a building's design, optimizing energy efficiency of support systems, and taking advantage of geographic and culturally acceptable building practices."
Green buildings already are erected in various parts of the world but current cost structure prevents widespread adoption by general contractors.
The project will build on these examples, aligning costs and benefits in the building equation and by working in close collaboration with architects, builders, suppliers and building owners to promote a more sustainable approach to construction.
