A report from the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) confirms 100% electrification is the lowest cost, fastest emissions reduction pathway for Australia’s built environment.

Unlocking the pathway: Why electrification is the key to net zero buildings, finds electrification would save $49 billion between 2024 and 2050 over the ‘business as usual’ strategy of electrification, gas and offsets. It would also save 199 Mt Co2-e before offsets.

ASBEC’s report, an output of the Rapid and Least Cost Decarbonisation of the Built Environment project, is backed by a building-level technical report by DeltaQ and modelling of least-cost decarbonisation options by SPR.

SPR modelled three ‘plausible but divergent’ decarbonisation scenarios: 100% electrification; a combination of electrification and green hydrogen; and a ‘base case’, representing ‘business as usual’ of electrification, fossil gas, green hydrogen and carbon offsets.

This report finds 100% electrification is the lowest cost option to decarbonise our built environment – but lowest cost does not mean no cost. Our detailed analysis by building type, geography and lifecycle reveals that electrification, while necessary, is not always cost-beneficial. Failing to acknowledge and address these costs will significantly impede the transition to net zero building operations.

Download ASBEC’s Media Release

Read ASBEC’s Unlocking the Pathway: Why electrification is the key to net zero buildings summary report

Read the building-level technical report

Read the modelling of least-cost decarbonisation options report