This paper stems from the Green Building Council of South Africa’s (GBCSA) drive towards net zero (N-Z). The GBCSA developed various certification schemes since 2007, such as the net zero/net positive certification program. This scheme addresses the following categories: carbon, water, waste, and ecology. To achieve N-Z waste certification, reductions in construction waste must be measured during the construction phase of a project. The responsibility to achieve N-Z waste becomes that of the appointed contractor, and the actions to achieve this goal such as reducing waste and recycling have cost implications. The problem is whether such costs will be more than that incurred on normal projects, and how contractors can allow for such costs. The JBCC Principle Building Agreement, the contract mostly used in South Africa’s commercial sector, does not make allowance to price for N-Z waste items. The methodology of the study will comprise interviews with contractors in the Gauteng region of South Africa. Contractors will be questioned on how they allow for waste management according to the checklist in the GBCSA’s N-Z technical manual, and whether they foresee that compliance with N-Z requirements will cost more than on normal contracts. The importance of the paper is that clients who plan to embark on N-Z projects in the future should be aware of additional costs associated with N-Z waste certification. Contract clauses for pricing of N-Z items will also be suggested.