The Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL) has released a report titled Best Practice Policy and Regulation for Low Carbon Outcomes in the Built Environment. The report was prepared by Strategy.Policy.Research and examines Australia’s best practices in energy and carbon performance policy and regulation in comparison to other OECD countries. The report found Australia has some examples of best practice policy and regulation but that there was plenty of room for improvement.

Australia’s barriers and opportunities to the adoption of best practices are outlined, as are a proposed set of optimal measures and an indicative implementation pathway. Minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), Commercial Building Disclosure and the NABERS ratings tools are identified as measures that could be expanded and/or updated. The lack of a forward trajectory for regulatory settings in the National Construction Code is highlighted as contributing to regulatory uncertainty. The report recommends a comprehensive review of national regulatory and policy measures estimating the delay in adopting building efficiency opportunities at $43 billion over 10 years.

The report was used to inform discussions at the CRCLCL National Forum: Regulating the Transition to a Low Carbon Built Environment in Canberra.

More information here.