Page 34 - Climate Control Magazine September 2018

Air Movement, Fans & Ventilation
Call to upgrade NCC energy standards
ENERGY STANDARDS IN AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CODE (NCC) MUST BE URGENTLY UPGRADED IF NEW BUILDINGS ARE TO BE FIT FOR A ZERO-CARBON FUTURE.
CALLS FOR THE upgrade are included in a new report, Built to Perform, prepared by the Austral- ian Sustainable Built Environment Council (AS- BEC) and ClimateWorks Australia.
AIRAH is a foundation member of ASBEC and is also supporting the upgrade.
AIRAH CEO, Tony Gleeson, said all of the buildings being built today will still be operating in 2050, at a time when Australia will need to be at or near net-zero emissions.
“The NCC must reflect this, ensuring that to- day’s new builds are prepared to operate in the future. The HVACR industry is certainly ready to play its part,” he said.
“TO MEET THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE CODE, WE NEED TO SHIFT AWAY FROM AD HOC, PERIODIC UPDATES.” - ASBEC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SUZANNE TOUMBOUROU.
The final changes are being made to the NCC for the 2019 update, but Built to Perform takes a more comprehensive longer-term approach. It calls for greater stringency in energy regulations to be introduced in the 2022 Code, with a strong focus on the residential sector.
Further incremental increases are noted for non-residential buildings.
The report also calls on governments to broaden the Code to meet future sustainability challenges, and to provide certainty to industry via clear targets and processes.
This, the report says, will encourage invest- ment in more energy-efficient buildings. The changes would form a crucial part of meeting Australia’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement, according to ASBEC executive di- rector, Suzanne Toumbourou.
“We welcome proposed improvements to the 2019 National Construction Code to advance en- ergy performance in commercial buildings and
adjust the requirements for residential build- ings,” Toumbourou said.
“However, to meet the full potential of the Code, we need to shift away from ad hoc, peri- odic updates.
“Governments must agree to a longer-term plan, with targets and a clear, regulated and transparent process for Code updates out to 2030, starting with a step-change in residential standards in 2022.”
AIRAH’s executive manager – technical ser- vices and government relations, Phil Wilkinson, said analysis from Built to Perform aligns with the research work AIRAH has completed around net-zero buildings.
AIRAH’s report Future of HVAC – in a Net- Zero World, charts a series of recommendations or actions to help government and industry un- derstand how the HVAC and property sectors can best transition to delivering and managing net-zero-energy buildings.
“One of the key findings of Future of HVAC – in a Net-Zero World is that building regulations must assess true building performance and tar- get net-zero energy over time,” Wilkinson said.
“A renewed focus on existing buildings is re- quired, including mandatory energy disclosure, incentives for energy-efficiency maintenance, and upgrade assistance and support.
“Training and education initia- tives should help all stakehold-
ers understand the risks
and opportunities of a
net-zero building. And a net-zero building ret- rofit toolkit and behaviour-change programs for building users are key,” he said.
“Of course, the Institute will continue to advo- cate for energy policy changes to incentivise the design and delivery of net-zero buildings and low-emission HVAC.”
To read the ASBEC report go to www.asbec. asn.au/research-items/built-perform.
To access ARAH’s Future of HVAC – in a Net- Zero World report, go to www.airah.org.au/ foresight ✺
AIRAH’s Phil Wilkinson said there needs to be a renewed focus on existing buildings.
CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU
The report supports tougher energy performance standards for commercial and residential buildings.
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