Building resilient systems: Net-zero infrastructure
Infrastructure plays a key role in global emissions, making its decarbonization essential in combating climate change. GRESB Infrastructure Assessments provide stakeholders with standardized frameworks and transparent metrics to set credible net-zero targets, monitor emissions across all scopes, and drive the transition toward resilient, low-carbon systems.
Why net-zero infrastructure matters
Infrastructure is responsible for a significant share of global emissions, both directly through energy use and indirectly through supply chains. Transitioning to net–zero infrastructure addresses these impacts, offering environmental benefits while driving operational efficiencies, reducing costs, and meeting the demands of investors and regulators who prioritize sustainability.
For infrastructure stakeholders, the challenge is clear—but so is the opportunity. Developing and operating infrastructure that aligns with net–zero goals builds resilience against climate risks, strengthens investor confidence, and contributes to a more sustainable future.
An industry at a crossroads
Governments, industries, and communities worldwide are mobilizing to decarbonize infrastructure. Advances in renewable energy, sustainable materials, and digital technologies are transforming what’s possible. However, the sector faces unique challenges, including long asset lifespans, complex supply chains, and the diversity of asset types. Achieving net zero will require collaboration, innovative thinking, and clear pathways to address emissions across the value chain.
The insights outlined below are drawn from the GRESB Infrastructure Assessments, encompassing a combination of the Infrastructure Fund, Infrastructure Asset, and Infrastructure Development Asset Assessments.
The 2024 Infrastructure Assessments reveal that 64.71% of entities have set a net-zero target, an increase from 59.72% in 2023. Additionally, 53.1% have made a commitment to achieving net zero, up from 46.68% in the previous year.*
Furthermore, 76.89% of organizations have implemented a net-zero policy, compared to 62.05% in 2023.
Interestingly, 2024 GRESB Real Estate data suggests that net–zero policy creation and target setting represent more common practices than the communication of net-zero commitments. While target setting, backed by capital planning and performance trajectories, essentially reflect a concrete commitment to net–zero delivery, the lower rate of net-zero commitments might reflect the perceived lack of a net–zero classification that is appropriate for the vast range of potential infrastructure assets.
Understandably, the majority of net-zero targets are set across an infrastructure asset’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Determining which Scope 3 emissions are deemed material for a particular infrastructure asset is extremely dependent on the specifics of each asset. Furthermore, the diversity of data availability and quality inhibits the setting of clear and well-understood Scope 3 inventories in the present, let alone targets for the future.
Surprisingly, however, many net-zero targets for infrastructure assets are being set using the location-based method for the calculation and measurement of Scope 2 emissions. This indicates that many net-zero strategies are choosing to focus more on energy efficiency of their infrastructure, than on renewable energy procurement.
Explore key aspects of net-zero infrastructure
Learn more about the critical pathways to achieving net zero in infrastructure. Click on the topics below for detailed insights:
Scope 1 and 2
Direct and indirect emissions are a major focus for infrastructure owners and operators. Discover how GRESB is facilitating standardized reporting in 2025 to enable meaningful comparisons and benchmarking insights.
Scope 3
Emissions across the value chain often exceed operational emissions. Understand GRESB’s research roadmap to identify which Scope 3 emissions are truly material at the asset level.
Net-zero target setting
Establishing science-based targets is essential for achieving net zero. Dive into how GRESB is prioritizing transparency to progress the quality and clarity of a wide range of net-zero target setting exercises for infrastructure assets.
Join the movement
Reducing emissions across infrastructure assets is critical to building resilience and meeting global climate goals. GRESB Infrastructure Assessments empowers stakeholders with the frameworks, metrics, and insights needed to achieve net-zero outcomes across diverse sectors and asset types.