The COAG Energy Council has failed to come to an agreement on a nationwide pathway to improve the energy performance of Australian buildings. This missed opportunity could lock in higher energy bills for households and businesses, increase stress on the electricity network and result in greenhouse gas emissions that could otherwise have been avoided.
ASBEC President Professor Ken Maher AO said more energy efficient homes and commercial buildings can deliver better comfort and reduce stress on the electricity grid, providing an imperative to act now on improving the energy performance of our building stock.
“ASBEC’s Built to Perform report, produced in partnership with ClimateWorks Australia, showed that a forward pathway for stronger energy standards in the National Construction Code could reduce 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.”
Delays in improving minimum energy performance standards for new buildings can lock in decades of avoidable energy bills. Buildings will continue being built to outdated standards, which in the case of housing haven’t been updated in almost a decade.
“A three-year delay of strengthened requirements to Australia’s Building Code could lead to $2.6 billion in wasted energy expenditure, while locking in an additional $720 million of electricity network investments and 9 million tonnes of emissions by 2030.” said Prof Maher.
ASBEC Executive Director Suzanne Toumbourou said the energy performance of buildings isn’t just about energy bills and comfort. A study in the respected medical journal, The Lancet, showed that 6 per cent of Australian deaths annually are due to cold in poorly heated homes, with another 1 per cent due to heat in inadequately cooled homes.
An alliance of consumer groups including Energy Consumers Australia, the Australian Council of Social Service and CHOICE has called for better minimum standards for new and existing housing.
“Consumer and community groups are well aware that better energy performance delivers healthier, safer and more affordable homes for vulnerable households.” said Ms Toumbourou.
Prof Maher said that a COAG-level commitment to a forward pathway for energy requirements in the Building Code 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 certainty industry needs to plan and invest in new technologies, delivering higher building energy performance at lower cost,” he said.
“Better building energy performance is one of the most cost-effective and readily implementable pathways towards energy bill reduction and better health outcomes for households.” said Ms Toumbourou.
“Over fifty peak bodies across the country, ranging from community groups to property developers, have called for improved energy performance standards in buildings. Australia’s governments must act now.” said Prof Maher.
Download full ASBEC media release here.