Page 22 - Climate Control News Magazine

Indoor Air Quality
THE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA (GBCA) HAS RELEASED A CARBON POSITIVE ROADMAP FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
Built environment roadmap for the next decade
THE DISCUSSION PAPER outlines the steps required for commercial, institutional and gov- ernment buildings and fitouts to decarbonise.
It provides high-level outcomes, actions, tar- gets and policy positions required. These are proposed alongside changes to the GBCA’s Green Star rating tool to ensure it helps lead industry through the next decade of transformation.
Developed in close consultation with industry and government, and now being released for their feedback, the discussion paper plots a world-leading path to raise the benchmark for sustainable design, construction and building operation in Australia’s built environment.
GBCA chief executive Romilly Madew said the roadmap has been developed to help ensure Aus- tralia’s competitiveness and attractiveness for investment while fulfilling international com- mitments to reducing carbon emissions.
“It proposes a range of policy positions for in- dustry to support and calls for upgrades to ener- gy efficiency requirements in the national con- struction code and an expansion of requirements for the mandatory disclosure of energy efficiency in buildings and fitouts,” Madew said.
“Broader reforms in the energy sector are also discussed, with practical incentives to support building upgrades and retrofits and the develop- ment of carbon neutral products and services.
The roadmap was developed in tandem with Green Star Future Focus – a comprehensive re- view of existing Green Star rating tools to set leading targets for certification.
Buildings seeking a Green Star rating would have to meet updated requirements – with a pro- posal that new and existing Green Star rated buildings will have no greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and existing buildings having to meet this target by 2050 or earlier.
It will drive transformation in the rest of the built environment by promoting policies to ret- rofit existing buildings, improve new buildings, increase the supply of renewable energy, and phase out fossil fuel use.
The roadmap also acknowledges the contractu- al, policy, and commercial barriers that discourage joint action between building owners and tenants to address whole-of-building emissions.
“Achieving the roadmap’s targets requires a whole-of-building approach,” Madew said.
“Where the building owner has control over the fitouts and energy use changes are easier to implement. However, in buildings where there is a contractual relationship with another party collaboration and cooperation is needed.
“Problems can be overcome by first incentivis- ing decarbonisation, then requiring collabora- tion between all parties to share energy data. En- couraging the use of operational ratings will drive both parties to use renewable energy.”
The Carbon Positive Roadmap is available at https://gbca-web.s3.ama- zonaws.com/media/docu- ments/carbon-positive- roadmap-discussion-pa-
PASSIVE HOUSE DESIGN
Passive House is a building performance standard that originated in Germany, but is becoming increasingly recognised as an international benchmark for energy efficient buildings.
It is gaining popularity in Australia, especially in the HVAC sector, because it drastically reduces heating and cooling costs.
Passive House relies on careful design and the integration of specific building systems
to deliver buildings that require up to 90 per cent less energy to heat and cool.
In Australia, buildings designed to Passive House standard deliver a significantly better performing building envelope than those designed to minimum regulatory requirements. It delivers higher quality construction, reduced energy costs and better occupant comfort. An organisation specialising in unique building systems (modular and panelised)
which incorporate Passive House requirements is ARKit, an architect-led practice that designs specifically for low waste construction.
ARKit director, Craig Chatham, said construction and building waste accounts for approximately 40 per cent of Australia’s total waste generation.
“We consider this statistic as an important next direction for sustainable architecture in Australia,” he said.
The roadmap plots
a world-leading path toward a carbon positive future for Australia’s built environment.
CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU
per-fa.pdf ✺
Romilly Madew
GBCA CEO,
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