e n e r gy e f f i c i e n cy
THE VALUE OF ENERGY
KRISTIN BROOKFIELD
Senior Executive Director of Building Development and Environment , HIA
Over the last few years , the focus of governments , when talking about energy efficiency , has been on carbon prices , big industry and international agreements . Yet underneath these ‘ big picture ’ debates , the housing industry has been focused on delivering energy efficient homes to meet the six-star requirements in the National Construction Code ( NCC ) and their customers ’ needs since 2003 .
In December 2015 , the federal government , along with the states and territories , signed onto a new energy agreement , the National Energy Productivity Plan ( NEPP ) which sets the scene for energy efficiency in new and existing homes over the next few years .
The NEPP takes the place of the 2009 National Strategy on Energy Efficiency and includes three key actions directed at the housing industry :
• Action 5 . Improve residential building rating and disclosure .
• Action 31 . Advance the NCC .
• Action 32 . Improve compliance with building energy efficiency regulation .
DISCLOSURE – VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY ?
Action 5 in the NEPP opens the door again to the introduction of mandatory disclosure at the point of sale or lease of existing homes .
Under this strategy , it appears there may be more interest to start with a voluntary disclosure scheme , rather than a mandatory one .
The introduction of a disclosure scheme has been a recommendation in each energy policy statement since 2000 and the housing industry has expressed its support for this type of scheme for several years now .
The federal government has commenced research into a preferred scheme , picking up from where things left off in 2012 when a regulatory impact statement was released for a mandatory scheme . The Victorian government has been developing an online rating tool that is expected to be released in 2016 as a voluntary option . While the New South Wales government is also undertaking research into how they could establish a tool .
HIGHER BUILDING STANDARDS FOR NEW HOMES ?
Action 31 sets the scene to increase the current six-star standard for new homes and new apartment buildings . This action also recommends an increase in the standards for commercial buildings .
Prior to the federal election , then Minister for Resources , Energy and Northern Australia , Josh Frydenberg , wrote to the Australian Building Codes Board ( ABCB ) requesting they commence investigation into the options to increase the stringency of the energy efficiency requirements for both commercial and residential buildings .
Minister Frydenberg has retained responsibility for the energy portfolio post-election although it has been shifted into the Department of Environment .
The ABCB has now commenced work on this recommendation , including establishing :
• An ABCB Board steering committee with Jill Lee appointed as the industry representative , along with two state representatives .
• A Building Codes Committee working group with HIA nominated to be a member .
• An industry technical reference group with HIA nominated to be a member .
HIA attended the first meeting of the industry reference group in July 2016 .
The ABCB has indicated that their intention for new homes is to investigate how to establish a new baseline for assessments which would use
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