Page 27 - Climate Control News Magazine March 2019

Energy Cost Reduction & Monitoring
when Australia will need to be at or near net zero emissions,” Toumbourou said.
“The NCC sets minimum standards for all new Australian buildings, so it is the best place to start to improve building energy performance. By strengthening the NCC we can ensure new buildings are ‘zero carbon ready’ to plug into a net zero emissions economy by 2050.”
COAG’s ‘Trajectory’ aligns closely with ASBEC and ClimateWorks’s recent report Built to Perform - An industry led pathway to a zero carbon ready building code, which recommends a pathway for energy targets for subsequent updates to the Code.
Chair of ASBEC’s Building Code Task Group and president of the Energy Efficiency Council, Tony Arnel said COAG Energy Council’s com- mitment to a forward pathway for energy re- quirements in the NCC would provide certainty for the construction industry.
“If developers and manufacturers know how the Code requirements will evolve over the next 15 years, this will provide the regulatory certain- ty industry needs to plan and invest in new tech- nologies, delivering higher building energy per- formance at lower cost,” he said.
“STRONGER STANDARDS COULD RELIEVE PRESSURE ON AUSTRALIA’S AGEING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE.” – MICHAEL LI
ClimateWorks project manager Michael Li said the Built to Perform report showed that stronger energy standards in the NCC could re- duce household energy bills by up to $900 each year, contributing to up to $29 billion in reduced energy bills and 78 million tonnes of cumulative emissions savings across the economy by 2050.
“Stronger energy standards in the Code could also relieve pressure on Australia’s ageing energy infrastructure, cutting electricity network costs by up to $12.6 billion between now and 2050,” he said.
“These savings could be achieved through simple, cost-effective energy efficiency measures such as improved air tightness, double glazed windows, increased insulation, outdoor shading, and more efficient air conditioners, hot water systems and lighting.”
An alliance of consumer groups including the Australian Council of Social Service, CHOICE, the Consumer Action Law Centre and Brother- hood of St Laurence has also called for better minimum standards for new and existing hous- ing in the interests of healthier, safer and more affordable homes for all Australians.
LEFT: New buildings need to be ‘zero carbon ready’ to plug into a net zero emissions economy by 2050.
FAR LEFT: Chair of ASBEC’s Building Code Task Group and EEC president, Tony Arnel.
NCC 2019 UPDATES
In preparation for significant changes in the 2019 edition of the National Construction Code (NCC), a series of seminars are being held in all capital cities.
The seminars, hosted by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), will provide an overview of the changes in the NCC.
Standards Australia will also participate in the seminar series which will cover energy efficiency and outcomes of the Acceptable Construction Practice project including roof and wall cladding, fire safety, decks and balconies.
A Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) update will be available via webcast in May 2019.
The half day sessions run from 9.30am to 12.30pm in all locations. Due to demand, there are additional afternoon sessions in Sydney and Melbourne from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. The seminar fee is $160.
The first events were held during February in Canberra, Perth and Darwin. The remaining seminars will be held in Brisbane on March 1, Sydney on March 5-6. Hobart on March 8, Melbourne on March 13-14 and Adelaide on March 15, 2019. For details email seminars@loud.events
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS
MARCH 2019
27