Net Zero Carbon

  • Integral to securing 7-figure, multi-year enterprise client commitments
  • Secured SIERA's largest North American client
  • Became SIERA's most marketable product
Role
Lead UX Designer & Product Owner
Duration
3 years
Platform
B2B / B2C SaaS
Tools
Figma · Axure · Pendo · Dovetail
SIERA Net Zero Carbon module on a desktop screen
18×
Participant growth in user research and usability sessions
38%
Increase in bespoke feature interaction
24%
Reduction in task completion time
5
New products shipped within Net Zero Carbon

What is a real estate portfolio, and why does Net Zero matter?

  • SIERA's clients manage large portfolios of real estate assets.
  • Each asset has its own carbon footprint.
  • Net Zero Carbon lets users see, model and act on carbon performance across every asset.
1

Fund

Together, these four assets form one fund.

Four real estate assets that together make up one fund: a retail park, a storage facility, a mixed-use development and a residential block
2

Asset

One asset in the fund: a green retail park.

Green retail park asset: a shopping mall and an office building with shared parking
3

Buildings

The asset is made up of two buildings.

Building 1: the shopping mall
Building 1Shopping mall
Building 2: the office building
Building 2Office building
4

Spaces

Each building breaks down into the spaces that use energy.

Inside the shopping mall: retail floor across two levels
Shop floorInside Building 1
Inside the office building: open-plan office floor
Office floorInside Building 2
External car park serving the retail park
Car parkExternal space
One platform, thousands of assets, one Net Zero target.Users needed to move between every level without losing context.

See the product in action

  • Short on time? Watch the product end to end in 6 minutes.
View interactive prototype in Figma
01 · The problem

Powerful data. No one could act on it.

  • Fund managers and consultants worked from fragmented Excel reports.
  • Net Zero was SIERA's highest-value module, but usability failures were undermining client confidence.
  • The opportunity: make it the clearest ESG tool in the market, and it becomes the main sales lever.

Pain points in consultant Excel charts

  • Charts unreadable without deep domain expertise
  • No visual difference between historical data and projections
  • Data quality issues hidden until deep in the workflow
  • No clear path from fund to asset
  • Pathways didn't reflect real-world interventions

Design opportunities

  • Rebuild the IA: Fund → Asset → Pathway drill-down
  • Colour and shape coded data quality icons (WCAG)
  • Solid vs dashed lines: past vs future at a glance
  • Action-based pathways showing real carbon impact
  • Scalable foundations for 5+ future products
02 · Research

Immersing in the science behind Net Zero

  • I ran workshops with sustainability consultants to learn from real client cases.
  • I studied how a Net Zero chart is built before designing a single element.
Anatomy of a Net Zero chart

Net Zero chart

What I learnt: Net Zero chart fundamentals

  • Asset data pointsEvery asset in the fund, plotted individually.
  • Data qualityHow complete and reliable each asset's reported data is.
  • Carbon intensityEmissions relative to portfolio size (tCO2e per $M invested).
  • Energy intensityEnergy use relative to portfolio metrics (kWh per m² or $M invested).
  • PathwaysForecasts showing whether the fund is on track for its Net Zero target.

Remapping how users think about carbon data

Card sorting Revealed gaps in how users mentally organise carbon performance Rebuilt the IA
Net Zero Carbon information architecture map

Full IA map, built from card sorting and stakeholder workshops before any wireframes

Research that shaped strategy

  • Scaled from 4 to 72 participants in my first month.
  • A continuous discovery loop that shaped the roadmap, not just validated it.
  1. 01

    Stakeholder workshops and domain immersion

    • Studied carbon accounting and global Net Zero frameworks.
    • Ran workshops with sustainability consultants on real client reporting.
    Stakeholder workshopsDomain researchMiro
  2. 02

    Moderated sessions and support ticket analysis

    • Recorded and transcribed every session.
    • Re-listened to learn the methodology, not just surface UX pain.
    • Mined support tickets for recurring issues.
    Moderated testingThematic analysisDovetail
  3. 03

    Card sorting and IA rebuild

    • Card sorting showed how users group Net Zero attributes.
    • Moved the IA from an engineering hierarchy to users' mental models.
    Card sortingIA redesignNavigation design
  4. 04

    3-phase strategic roadmap

    • Built with the Engineering Lead.
    Phase 1Navigation, accessibility and UX fundamentals
    Phase 2Action plan integration
    Phase 3Scenario modelling and pathway importing
    RoadmapSprint planningKPI definition

From transcript to insight

  • Two large rounds of research, compiled into 42 transcripts and tagged in Dovetail.
  • What users said, what it added up to, and what we built.

1. Tagging every session

Session transcript · Sr Consultant 17 of 42 · Net Zero workshop

"When a client opens the chart, they don't start with the carbon number. The first thing they ask me is what can we actually do to this building. Then it's what will it cost and will the board approve the budget. Only after that do they come back to the stranding line. And half the time they don't trust the data enough to commit. Meter coverage is patchy on older assets."

Action planCostCarbon / strandingData trust
Tags across 42 sessions
Action plan× 38
Cost× 31
Data trust× 27
Carbon / stranding× 19
Insight: action cost carbon.Our interface ran in exactly the opposite direction.

Why tags matter: infrastructure, not filing. Every future study lands in the same repository, so anyone can find what was said and when, and use it to justify future direction.

2. Dissecting the tags

Total mentions across all 42 transcripts.

1,240total mentions
  • Action & target pathways · 348
  • Data quality & transparency · 296
  • Cost & carbon payback · 258
  • Asset-level data points · 191
  • Fund-level projection · 147
Action & target pathways · 348
Intervention measure hierarchy
142
Comparing scenarios side by side
89
Renovation timing decisions
67
Reading pathway vs BAU
50
Data quality & transparency · 296
Meter coverage gaps
104
Estimated vs actual data
81
Where data comes from
62
Trust in projections
49
Two features earned their place by volume.Action-Based Pathways answered the loudest theme. Data quality indicators answered the second.

3. Affinity mapping into design requirements

User feedback sorted into four themes.

Chart readabilitySimplified fund average line, drill-down to asset level

"The bubble chart is hard to read. I can't tell which bubble is which asset without hovering over every one."

Sr Consultant 6 · usability session

"There is too much on screen at once. I only need the fund position first, then the problem assets."

Sr Consultant 4 · usability session

"I would never show this screen to a client as it is. I rebuild it in PowerPoint first."

Consultant 15 · workshop
Fund vs asset visibilityPop-up panel: fund and asset data in context

"I want to click a point and see the asset detail right there. A pop-up would save me switching screens."

Consultant 15 · usability session

"When I am at fund level I lose the asset story. When I am at asset level I lose the fund. I need both."

Consultant 31 · usability session

"Show me the fund number and let me open the asset underneath it without losing my place."

Consultant 27 · usability session
Data quality distinctionData quality indicators on every data point

"I can't tell which numbers are actual meter readings and which are estimates. That matters to my clients."

Net Zero Consultant 2

"If the data is patchy I need to see that before I present it, not find out in the meeting."

Consultant 38 · depth interview

"Estimated and actual look identical on the chart. They should not."

Consultant 19 · depth interview
Selection and baselinePersistent selection state and multi-year asset data

"I keep losing track of which asset I have selected once I scroll."

Consultant 11 · workshop

"Asset data only shows for the baseline year. I need to see it change across the pathway."

Consultant 25 · depth interview

"Why can I only see 2022? The whole point is where the asset is going."

Consultant 3 · usability session
Four themes four design requirements.Every decision in the new Net Zero traces to a sorted theme. Nothing was designed on opinion.
03 · Users

Three users. One product.

  • The person who signs the contract is rarely the person using the product.
  • Mapping that changed how we prioritised the information hierarchy.
Structure of a real client: CEO, ESG Director who signs the contract, Fund Manager for a North American fund, Asset Manager for a green retail park, and two Building Managers

How a real client is structured: the contract is signed two levels above the people who use Net Zero every day.

Xia
Xia
Senior Sustainability Consultant
Primary user

"I spend more time fixing charts for client reports than advising clients on what to do."

Needs

  • Fast, accurate data for client reports
  • Data quality gaps visible straight away
  • Exports that don't need reformatting

Frustrations

  • Too many steps to reach an insight
  • No clear fund vs asset distinction
Gabriela
Gabriela
Fund Manager
Secondary user

"Show me which assets are off track, and what it will take to bring them back."

Needs

  • Compare assets against Net Zero targets visually
  • Model action plans to test strategies
  • See business as usual vs target pathway clearly

Frustrations

  • Pathways didn't reflect real interventions
  • High cognitive load across multiple funds
Ricardo
Ricardo
ESG Director
Signs the contract

"I need to tell the board whether we're on track, without becoming a platform expert."

Needs

  • A high-level overview, no expertise needed
  • Clear progress against science-based targets
  • Board-ready outputs in one click

Frustrations

  • Platform too technical for strategic use
  • Can't compare funds quickly

End-to-end user flow

  • How each user type moves from the fund dashboard to asset-level pathways.
User flow chart from fund dashboard to asset-level Net Zero pathways

The IA in action: fund to spot risk, asset to act on it

  • Net Zero mirrors the hierarchy consultants sorted. Each level answers a different question.

Fund level · Xon Real Assets

Every asset in the fund plotted against the pathway

Green Retail Park strands 2031 2020 2035 2050

Question answeredWhich assets put the fund at risk, and when?

Drill down

Asset level · Green Retail Park

Action-based pathways: start from what you can do

Selected actionsCostCarbonStrands
LED retrofit£120k−8%2034
HVAC replacement£410k−19%2039
Solar PV£260k−11%2043
Forecast with actionsStranding moves 2031 2043. Cost £790k. Board-ready evidence in one view.

Question answeredWhat do we do about this asset, and what does it buy us?

The card-sort IA became the navigation model. The fund view answers the portfolio question; the asset view answers the action question.

Recreated illustration: values indicative, structure reflects the shipped design.

04 · Design

Every decision traced to research

  • Early iterations, showing the thinking behind each decision. The shipped product is at the end of the page.
  • Data quality key
  • Actual data
  • Uplifted / estimated
  • Benchmarked
  • Fund average
  • Shape, not colour, carries meaning, so it works for colour-blind users.

1Hover or tap the teal dots to see why each decision was made.

Each numbered decision is explained below the image.

Fund-level Net Zero chart with design decisions 1 to 5
New sidebarUsers couldn't match chart lines to real properties.Building photos made them instant to identify. Tested across 3 rounds.
Editable asset listUsers wanted to choose which assets appear, without leaving the chart.A single inline toggle replaced a 4-click workflow.
Asset data iconOrange squares mark estimated data.Colour and shape coded, so it works for colour-blind users (WCAG).
Fund data pointsA diamond separates the fund average from individual assets.Card sorting showed users expected that hierarchy.
Future vs past clarityDashed line is projection. Solid line is history.This fixed the most common misreading in support tickets.
Net Zero chart controls with design decisions 6 to 9
Chart view toggleSwitch between carbon intensity, energy intensity and more.One chart at a time cut cognitive load.
Streamlined chart optionsA cluttered settings panel became one 'Chart options' link.Users could now find it in one click.
Fund data cardMean carbon intensity and data availability for the whole fund.Solved the #1 consultant pain point: context without leaving the chart.
Improved chart keyA clearer legend for every data type.One of the highest-impact changes from usability testing.
Asset data card and benchmark line with design decisions 10 and 11
Asset data cardAll key asset metrics in one place, without leaving the chart.'Explore NZC pathways' drives the drill-down to asset level.
Better grid spacingMore space reduces overload around the 1.5°C target line.Answers the #1 client question: "Are we on track for Paris?"
  1. 1New sidebarAsset photos for instant identification
  2. 2Editable asset listInline toggle replaced a 4-click workflow
  3. 3Asset data iconColour and shape coded for accessibility
  4. 4Fund data pointsDiamond separates fund from asset data
  5. 5Future vs past clarityDashed is projection, solid is history
  6. 6Chart view toggleOne metric at a time
  7. 7Chart optionsFound in one click
  8. 8Fund data cardKey ESG data for the whole fund
  9. 9Improved chart keyQuicker data interpretation
  10. 10Asset data cardKey ESG data for a single asset
  11. 11Better grid spacingLess cognitive overload

Validating with users across all expertise levels

  • Before building Net Zero 1.0, I validated the redesign with real users.
  • The goal: one product that works for every level of expertise, in Net Zero and in SIERA.
  • Participants self-rated from novice to expert:
1Novice
2Learning
3Average
4Competent
5Expert
  • Comparing groups exposed gaps in perception, workflow and expectations.
  • I re-ran it with every new feature, so the product grew fast without losing market fit.
  • Wrong assumptions died in Axure and Figma, not in production.
Usability testing feedback analysis

Feedback analysis on a fund-to-asset iteration

Interventions that move the pathway

  • Every planned action changes an asset's carbon intensity, year on year.
  • Action-based pathways show that impact live, against business as usual.
Action pathways baseline view with decisions 1 and 2
Action-based pathway toggleSwitch between business as usual and action-driven pathways.Compare the impact of interventions directly.
CRREM / science-based targetChoose a 1.5°C or 2.0°C pathway.Aligned with CRREM and SBTi standards.
Action selection with decisions 3 and 4
Action selectionTick agreed or applicable interventions to model scenarios.The chart updates in real time.
Action-based carbon pathwayThe dashed orange line shows the trajectory with actions applied.Directly comparable with business as usual and the target.
Custom target pathway and action detail pop-up with decisions 5 and 6
Custom target pathwaysUsers define their own reduction target.Shown alongside the CRREM target for comparison.
Action detail cardDescription, due date, status, carbon savings and cost.Paginated when several actions fall in the same year.
  1. 1Pathway toggleBusiness as usual vs action-driven
  2. 2CRREM / SBT option1.5°C or 2.0°C alignment
  3. 3Action checkboxesModel decarbonisation scenarios
  4. 4Action pathway lineLive trajectory with actions applied
  5. 5Custom target pathwaysBespoke targets vs CRREM
  6. 6Action detail cardCost, savings, status and description

Not a wishlist. A market position.

  • Clients pushed to copy their legacy Excel workflows into SIERA.
  • I pushed back: a wishlist would lock the product into the past.

The strategic call

  • Analysed what clients were asking for
  • Mapped where the ESG SaaS market was heading
  • Identified what set SIERA apart from competitors
  • Said no to some requests and yes to others

Why it mattered

  • Clients renew products that have a clear vision
  • Strategic direction retained high-value clients
  • It attracted enterprise accounts looking for a market leader

"A product team has a point of view about where the market is going, and builds toward it."

Not replicating Excel workflows was one of the most commercially significant calls in Net Zero's development.
05 · Product analytics

Pendo embedded before every release

I defined critical user events, set success thresholds, and embedded Pendo tracking before each feature shipped, so we could measure whether design decisions actually landed.

Leadership and collaboration

Led a cross-functional team of junior POs, developers, principal UI and sustainability experts. Presented bi-monthly UX impact analyses to investors and senior stakeholders.

Event trackingFeature adoptionDrop-off analysisA/B testing
Task completion time
−24%post redesign
Bespoke feature interaction
+38%vs baseline
Research participants
4 → 72month one
Client retention
80%contribution

Research-led. Every time.

01
Domain immersion
Science workshops with sustainability experts before any wireframe.
Miro
02
User research
Moderated sessions, recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis.
Dovetail
03
Card sort and IA
IA rebuilt around users' mental models, not the data structure.
Miro
04
Mid to high-fi prototype
Complex data UI needs realistic fidelity to test properly.
Figma
05
A/B testing
In person and remote. At least 10 participants per cycle.
UserTesting
06
Ship and measure
Pendo embedded before release. KPIs tracked against thresholds.
Pendo
06 · Business impact

Design as the growth engine

  • Net Zero became SIERA's most commercially successful product.

Foundations: drill-down navigation

  • I defined the fund-to-asset drill-down and tested every iteration with 10 participants.
User testing feedback analysis on a fund-to-asset iteration

Feedback clusters from a fund-to-asset iteration

7-figure client commitments

Integral to securing multi-year, seven-figure enterprise commitments.

Largest North American client

Net Zero was the primary sales asset.

Most marketable module

SIERA's lead product in investor presentations, influencing seven-figure deals.

Exec-driven accessibility upgrade

Testing evidence led to bubble charts being replaced platform-wide.

Foundation for 5 new products

The IA and design system became the scaffold for every later SIERA module.

Research at scale

72 participants in recurring cycles, contributing to 80% client retention.

What users see today

  • Three views from the live module, after 3 years of research-led iteration.
Asset-level Net Zero pathway with heat pump installation action detail
Net Zero targets and pathways with custom and action-based pathways
Net Zero chart settings: benchmark line, axis scale and stranding dates

What I'd do differently

I'd instrument Pendo before the research phase, not just before launch. Baseline data from day one would have given harder evidence for prioritisation.

Explore more work

See the other case studies, or get in touch.

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