The biggest difference is embodied carbon. ILFI’s Zero Carbon Certification requires a project to cut and fully offset the carbon in its materials, on top of running on 100% new renewable energy, while LEED Zero Carbon focuses on balancing the carbon from a building’s energy use and occupant travel over 12 months. GreenCE offers LEED-specific and green building continuing education that helps architects and consultants work with both kinds of programs.
Why is this comparison in the news?
On Nov 2, 2026, a supplier of cement-free concrete announced it had paved about 6,400 m² at a new Amazon delivery station in the UK. The release says the site is Amazon’s first building pursuing version 1.1 of Living Future’s Zero Carbon Certification (PR Newswire). Large owners are choosing between carbon labels, and project teams need to know what each one asks for.
Key terms
- Operational carbon: emissions from the energy a building uses once occupied, such as heating, cooling, lighting and plug loads.
- Embodied carbon: emissions from making, transporting and installing building materials. The life-cycle stages A1–A5 cover raw material supply through construction.
- Offset: a purchased or on-site carbon reduction used to balance emissions a project cannot avoid.
- Performance period: the stretch of actual operation, usually 12 months, during which a building must show it meets the target.
What does ILFI Zero Carbon Certification require?
The International Living Future Institute launched Zero Carbon Certification in 2018. Certified buildings are reviewed by an independent third party after a 12-month performance period (BD+C). Version 1.1 launched in April 2024 and tightened the energy and embodied carbon requirements (Stok).
According to Arlington County’s summary of version 1.1 (Arlington County), a new building must:
- Show 12 months of performance after occupancy, starting when systems are fully running or the building is 85% occupied.
- Cut embodied carbon (A1–A5) in primary and exterior materials by 20% against a comparable baseline building, with a goal of staying under 350 kgCO₂e/m².
- Use carpet, ceiling tile and gypsum board with a carbon footprint below the industry average.
- Beat ASHRAE 90.1-2019 (Appendix G) or IECC 2021 by 20% on energy.
- Supply 100% of operational energy from new on-site or off-site renewables, typically under a 15-year contract.
- Add no combustion on site.
- Keep a plan to monitor and reduce refrigerant leaks.
- Offset 100% of A1–A5 embodied carbon, using approved offsets; renewable energy certificates do not qualify.
Renovations and interiors have their own paths, including an option to show a 50% cut in energy use intensity compared with a typical existing building.
What does LEED Zero Carbon require?
USGBC launched LEED Zero in 2018 as a complement to LEED that verifies net zero goals (BD+C). It has four designations: Carbon, Energy, Water and Waste, and each one needs 12 months of operating data (Buildings).
- Eligibility: the project must already hold LEED certification under BD+C, ID+C or O+M, or be registered for LEED O+M.
- Carbon: emissions from building energy use and occupant transportation are compared with emissions avoided or offset (McKenney’s).
- Energy: a zero source-energy balance, usually reached through efficiency plus on-site renewables.
- Water: a zero potable-water balance.
- Waste: TRUE Zero Waste certification at the Platinum level.
The sources reviewed for this article do not describe an embodied carbon requirement in LEED Zero Carbon.
How do the two programs compare?
| Question | ILFI Zero Carbon 1.1 | LEED Zero Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | International Living Future Institute | U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) |
| Prerequisite | None stated; open to new buildings, renovations and interiors | Existing LEED certification, or LEED O+M registration |
| Performance period | 12 months after occupancy | 12 months of data |
| Embodied carbon | 20% reduction in primary and exterior materials, then 100% offset of A1–A5 | Not described in the sources reviewed |
| Operational energy | 20% better than ASHRAE 90.1-2019 or IECC 2021, and 100% new renewables | Carbon from energy use balanced against carbon avoided or offset |
| Occupant transportation | Not a stated requirement | Included in the carbon balance |
| Combustion | Not allowed in new buildings | No stated ban |
Which one should a project pursue?
- Start with the owner’s goal. If the owner wants to address materials as well as operations, Zero Carbon covers both. If the owner already uses LEED across a portfolio, LEED Zero builds on that work.
- Check the building’s status. LEED Zero requires an existing LEED certification or O+M registration. Zero Carbon does not.
- Check fuel use. A new building that needs on-site combustion cannot meet Zero Carbon 1.1.
- Plan the embodied carbon work early. A 20% reduction has to be designed in, using a baseline model and product EPDs, long before construction.
- Budget for 12 months of data. Both programs reward performance, not design intent, so metering and data collection must start at occupancy.
FAQ
Does LEED Zero Carbon count embodied carbon?
The published descriptions reviewed here say LEED Zero Carbon balances emissions from building energy use and occupant transportation against carbon avoided or offset. They do not mention materials, so check USGBC’s current program guide for any update.
Can a building earn both certifications?
Nothing in the sources reviewed prevents it. A LEED-certified building that also meets ILFI’s energy, renewable, combustion and embodied carbon rules could apply to both.
Do renewable energy certificates count toward ILFI Zero Carbon?
Not as embodied carbon offsets. Arlington County’s summary of version 1.1 lists RECs as prohibited for offsetting materials, and renewable supply must be new and attributed to the project.
How long does certification take?
Both programs require 12 months of real operating data before review. Under Zero Carbon 1.1 the clock starts when systems are fully running or the building is 85% occupied.
Is ILFI Zero Carbon only for new buildings?
No. Version 1.1 has paths for renovations and interiors, and ILFI has worked with Amazon, JLL, JPMorgan Chase and Prologis on guidance for existing buildings.
Why this matters for your continuing education
Owners are asking project teams to prove carbon performance, not just design for it, and the two leading zero-carbon labels measure different things. Knowing where embodied carbon, renewables and offsets fit lets you advise clients before the design locks in. GreenCE offers LEED-specific and green building continuing education, including a Zero Net Carbon Design course bundle, to help you build that knowledge.
Sources
- PR Newswire, cement-free concrete at Amazon UK delivery station (Nov 2, 2026): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carbicrete-supplies-amazon-with-cement-free-concrete-in-first-large-scale-paver-deployment-302926503.html
- Arlington County, Zero Carbon Certification 1.1 summary: https://www.arlingtonva.us/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/departments/documents/aire/zero-carbon-certification-1.1_arlingtoncounty_may202026.pdf
- Stok, Guide to ILFI Zero Carbon Certification 1.1, Part 1: https://stok.com/news-insights/guide-to-ilfi-zero-carbon-certification-1-1-part-1-what-changed/
- BD+C, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase among companies collaborating with ILFI (2024): https://www.bdcnetwork.com/sustainability/news/55166245/amazon-jpmorgan-chase-among-companies-collaborating-with-ilfi-to-advance-carbon-verification
- BD+C, USGBC launches LEED Zero (2018): https://www.bdcnetwork.com/green/news/55162134/usgbc-launches-leed-zero-to-address-net-zero-carbon-operations-and-resources-in-leed-green-building-projects
- Buildings, LEED Zero: 4 Ways to Add Net Zero to Your LEED Certification (2019): https://www.buildings.com/resiliency-sustainability/article/10185723/leed-zero-4-ways-to-add-net-zero-to-your-leed-certification
- McKenney’s, Requirements for LEED Zero Certification (2021): https://www.mckenneys.com/?p=5818