Standards Australia and the International Code Council have partnered to enhance climate data transparency and operability across the built environment

Today at COP29, Standards Australia and the International Code Council took further steps forward in their work to develop a new protocol to leverage transparent, trustworthy, and verifiable data across the built environment.

The built environment is a key sector in addressing the drivers and impacts of climate change. In March 2024, 70 countries signed the Declaration de Chaillot, committing to net-zero emissions in the global building industry.  

Despite significant investments in technology, much of the data produced remains fragmented and unusable across different disciplines or stages of the building lifecycle. This creates challenges in compliance, reporting, sharing of data and efforts to improve reporting and meet sustainability targets.

To address these issues, Standards Australia and the International Code Council have partnered to develop a Universal Data Protocol (UDP). This protocol seeks to utilise existing methods to enable transparent, auditable and verifiable data exchange for effective reporting and compliance across the building and construction industry.

‍

How the UDP will work

The UDP will be an extension of the broader UN Transparency Protocol (UNTP). UNTP provides a secure, decentralised framework for data sharing, allowing cross-border, cross-sector data exchange without a central database. As more communities, organisations and industries adopt UNTP, its impact grows, fostering a transparent global marketplace.

The UDP will serve as a Sustainability Vocabulary Catalogue (SVC) for the built environment, ensuring data is easily understood. Key benefits include:

• Decentralised verification: Data can be verified without relying on a single system, allowing each participant in the building lifecycle to prove their data’s authenticity.
• Interoperability: An adaptable framework links data from design, construction, and operations across borders, facilitating global compliance.
• Digital security: Using UNTP’s digital signatures and cryptography, UDP ensures data integrity and guards against tampering.
• Common language: Facilitates easy integration with existing systems, maximising current technology investments while adding a trusted data-sharing framework.
• Open-Source access: Enables businesses of any size and in any market to adopt, collaborate, and advance sustainability together.

‍

Implementation and Impact

With implementation support from Pyx Global, Standards Australia and the International Code Council are focused on turning this vision into a reality. In the coming months, both organisations will develop a proof-of-concept of the protocol to demonstrate its application with real world businesses.

Adam Stingemore, Chief Development Officer of Standards Australia, said: "The launch of the report is a step towards unlocking the full potential of data and digital technologies. Potentially helping to create a safe, sustainable, and resilient future for Australia and the world."

Dominic Sims, CEO of the Code Council, added: “We are pleased to work with Standards Australia to develop a globally applicable solution that provides the certainty and reliability that actors from across the industry need to continue to progress on meeting their climate-related goals.

“The Universal Data Protocol, extending UNTP, will enhance data accessibility and transparency across the building sector. Pyx is excited to partner with Standards Australia and the International Code Council on this initiative, which will foster accountability and innovation in Australia and beyond,” said Zachary Zeus, CEO of UNTP implementation accelerator Pyx Global.

The development of a UDP has the potential to drive sustainability and transparency in the built environment, elevating compliance while positioning its members as trusted players in the global market.

‍

‍Read the whitepaper to learn more about
the global challenges, solutions, and how
UDP will work as an extension of the UNTP.