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<p>EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<div>Setting stronger energy standards in the National Construction Code for new buildings would, between now and 2050, reduce energy bills by up to $27 billion, lower energy network costs by up to $7 billion and deliver 78 million tonnes of cumulative emissions savings, according to a new report released today.</div>
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<div>'Built to Perform, an industry led pathway to Zero Carbon Ready building code', created by the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) and ClimateWorks Australia, outlines a series of forward pathways for Code energy requirements that cover a range of building types and climates across Australia.</div>
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<div>It presents the final results of the Building Code Energy Performance Trajectory Project aimed at supporting the adoption of medium term targets and trajectories for mandated minimum energy requirements in the Code.</div>
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<div>We, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) welcomed the new report, it highlights the need for Government to unlock the full potential of the Code and target the cost-effective opportunities found in the buildings sector to improve Australia’s energy efficiency and affordability.</div>
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<div>Better buildings, built to perform in a zero carbon future, are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to reduce Australia’s emissions, save money and create comfortable homes and workplaces.</div>
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<div>This report shows that the triple-bottom-line dividend from plotting a zero net carbon path in the Code early is enormous.</div>
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<div>By 2050 Australia will need to be at or near zero net emissions and that means the Code must ensure that buildings under construction today are being built to meet the energy performance required in the future.</div>
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<div>A clear trajectory for the Code would also give industry the certainty to innovate and invest in high performing buildings at lower cost.</div>
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<div>We welcome the report’s recommendation for well designed and implemented targets along with a clear, transparent process for upgrading Code energy requirements.</div>
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<div>The world-leading practices being implemented by a growing number of Australian companies need to extend further across industry.</div>
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<div>The Code is a vital tool for lifting the bar across the board and our communities are the ones who will benefit, from reduced out-of-pocket energy costs and a healthier, lower-emissions built environment. </div>
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<div>However, the Code can only take us part of the way to net zero. Code improvements must go hand in hand with other measures to deliver a zero carbon buildings sector by 2050.</div>
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<div align="justify">Through our <a id="LPlnk805788" href="https://gbca-web.s3.amazonaws.com/media/documents/carbon-positive-roadmap-discussion-paper-fa.pdf" target="_blank"><span id="LPlnk805788">Carbon Positive Roadmap for the built environment project</span></a>, the Green Building Council of Australia is also proposing a pathway for the building industry to decarbonise by raising the benchmark for sustainable design, construction and building operation in Australia.</div>
<p>The Carbon Positive Roadmap presents many complementary measures which, along with a strengthened National Construction Code, will help lead the delivery of a more sustainable built environment and meet our international emissions commitments.</p>
<p><em>Romilly Madew is Chief Executive of Green Building Council of Australia.</em></p>
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RomillyMadew-zVLXsYSc74

New pathway to a zero carbon ready building code': Romilly Madew

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<p>GUEST OBSERVATION</p>
<p>While location and price remain the biggest considerations for anyone purchasing a new home, smart buyers are starting to look at sustainability attributes and green ratings to decide which home may be a more sustainable long-term investment.</p>
<p>There are a number of rating systems in the market able to assess the energy efficiency of your home.  A <a href="https://www.gbca.org.au/green-star/" target="_blank">Green Star rating</a>, however, is more than just an indicator of energy efficiency, signalling that other environmental impacts such as water use, health impacts and origins of the materials in the building, and the connections to transport have been addressed.</p>
<p>Many buyers are beginning to see Green Star as a mark of quality when they hunt for a new property, and evidence is emerging that a green rating translates into a higher sale price when it comes time to sell.</p>
<p>In the commercial sector, a large range of research – both in Australia and overseas – has found that green buildings deliver consistently higher returns.  One Australian report, <a href="https://www.api.org.au/folder/news/building-better-returns-research-report"><em>Building Better Returns</em></a> (2011), found that Green Star-rated buildings deliver a 12% ‘green premium’ in value and a 5% premium in rent, when compared to non-rated buildings. </p>
<p>But is this restricted to the commercial market?</p>
<p>A 2008 study from the ACT, <a href="https://www.eecentre.com.au/eer-house-price-act.pdf" target="_blank"><em>Energy Efficiency rating and house price in the ACT</em></a><em>,</em> examined the relationship between (thermal) energy efficiency and house prices, finding that each half-star increase in the FirstRate energy efficiency rating translated into a 2% increase in capital value.</p>
<p>Another broader American study, <a href="https://www.usgbc.org/sites/default/files/ValueofGreenHomeLabelsStudy_July2012.pdf" target="_blank"><em>The Value of Green Labels</em></a> (2012), involved a pricing analysis of 1.6 million single-family home sales in California from 2007-2012.  The researchers found that, while the average sales price of a non-certified California home was $400,000, a green certification lifted the price by more than $34,800.  This translated into a 9% green premium. </p>
<p>While many Australians are reluctant to pay more for a green-certified home at the moment, it is almost certain that they will pay less for non-rated, inefficient and unhealthy homes in years to come – so although a ‘green premium’ may not be much, the ‘brown discount’ for inefficient, unhealthy houses and apartments that are expensive to run will be considerable. Such homes would be worth less, and harder to sell on.</p>
<p>Whether a home with a green rating is more valuable right now may be up for debate, but there’s no doubt that a sustainable home uses less energy and water – and that can save you thousands of dollars each year. Add the improved health and wellbeing, and you’ve got more dollars in your pocket and better quality of life.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><em><strong>Romilly Madew</strong> is chief executive of the <a href="https://www.gbca.org.au/" target="_blank">Green Building Council of Australia</a>.</em></p>
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Romilly Madew

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