Addressing sustainability challenges in urban environments requires a shift from focusing solely on individual buildings to considering the broader context of entire neighbourhoods. To this end, the research centre for Zero Emission Neighbourhoods in Smart Cities (FME ZEN), active from 2017 to 2024, builds upon the foundation of knowledge established by its predecessor, the research centre for Zero Emission Buildings (FME ZEB). FME ZEN has advanced the concept of zero emission neighbourhoods (ZEN) by developing comprehensive definitions and performance evaluation methodologies. Over the past eight years, various pilot areas have been implemented within FME ZEN to operationalise the concept of ZENs and gain practical experience in ZEN development. This study explores the planning and implementation of ZENs and aims to identify and analyse key drivers and barriers associated with this innovative approach to achieving climate goals. Through qualitative interviews with partners involved in eight distinct ZEN pilot areas across Norway, this research has categorised the factors influencing ZEN development into seven themes: governance, process, technology, economy, market, skills and knowledge, and social and cultural aspects. The study not only identifies these thematic categories but also provides a detailed examination of specific drivers and barriers within each category. The insights gained offer valuable guidance for future ZEN initiatives, aiding the effective planning and implementation of ZENs and advancing progress toward climate goals.

Evaluating neighborhood performance is crucial for achieving long-term zero-carbon goals, enabling efficient energy, cost, and resource sharing among buildings. This task requires balancing multiple criteria and managing uncertainties, emphasizing the importance of performance robustness alongside high performance. This article introduces a flexible multi-criteria approach for evaluating neighborhood performance, focusing on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy use across different life cycle stages. Flytårnet, a Norwegian neighborhood with zero-emission ambitions, serves as a case study. The methodology incorporates the T-robust method, an established robustness-based approach, to select high-performance, resilient neighborhood designs under various uncertainties. Results indicate that when assessing buildings as key components and considering energy delivered during the operational phase, including photovoltaic generation, the supplied energy ranges from 25 to 80 kWh/m²/year. Over a 60-year period, life cycle GHG emissions span from 4 to 12 kg CO₂-eq./m²/year, accounting for uncertainties and encompassing material production and replacement, as well as energy consumption and generation. However, the optimal design choice varies based on whether life cycle stages beyond the use stage are considered. This research provides valuable insights for decision-makers and designers seeking effective neighborhood designs in early-stage planning, considering diverse and conflicting performance criteria to achieve zero-emission goals.

The construction industry is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Different strategies have been implemented to reduce the environmental impact of construction sites and create better city environments for construction workers and citizens. Electrification of construction machinery is one such measure and is rapidly evolving. However, existing literature has largely concentrated on either electrification of road vehicles or emission reduction via the electrification of a building’s operational energy use. This paper presents a systematic literature review on available publications focusing on the electrification of construction sites, identifying and analyzing the key drivers and barriers influencing this. In addition, it provides recommendations for better and effective electrification of construction sites. A total of 55 publications were analyzed to extract insights and organize findings into eight key themes: requirements, technology and market, economic, process and operations, infrastructure, knowledge and experience, environmental, and attitude. The findings indicate strong interconnections between the barriers and drivers to electrification of construction sites. Clear policy frameworks, strategic public procurement, knowledge sharing initiatives, and robust data systems emerged as critical enablers for scaling emission-free construction sites. The lessons learnt are largely drawn from Norwegian experiences but are highly transferable to other cities and regions and offer practical insights into policy design, procurement strategies, and collaborative models for actors interested in reducing GHG emissions and transition into electrification of construction sites.