Abstract

South Africa faces escalating energy insecurity and water scarcity, rendering the transition to net-zero carbon and net-zero water buildings indispensable. However, their adoption remains slow and fragmented. This study applied a Multi-Level Perspective to examine how landscape, regime and niche dynamics operate across macro (national), meso (provincial and industry) and micro (municipal and project) levels, shaping net-zero carbon and net-zero water building adoption. Using qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with facility managers, municipal officials and built environment professionals, findings were thematically analysed using NVivo. Results highlight interdependent barriers across governance levels including policy misalignment, weak financial incentives, uneven institutional capacity, skills shortages and operational constraints. Integrating these insights with sustainability transitions literature, the study proposes the Net Zero Building Acceleration Framework, which elucidates cross-level interdependencies and key leverage points. The framework offers a context sensitive route for accelerating adoption through coordinated, governance aligned interventions in South Africa and similar developing context.