Residential Building Mandatory Disclosure Proposed Measure

Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement

In 2009, The Council of Australian Governments committed (subject to the results of regulatory analysis) to phase in the mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance as part of the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency. This proposed measure would require the owners of houses, flats or apartments to provide energy, water and greenhouse performance information about the home at the time it is offered for sale or lease.

The key objective of the proposed measure is to ensure that credible and meaningful environmental performance information is publicly and readily available to housing market participants to assist them in making purchase and/or lease decisions. Access to this environmental performance information will allow buyers and renters to better compare different properties. The proposed measure could also allow and encourage environmental performance to be factored into property promotion and provide an additional stimulus for smarter design, construction and renovation.

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has been working with all states and territories on the development of a regulatory impact assessment. Subject to the outcomes of the regulatory impact assessment process, the measure will be implemented through legislation in each state and territory.

The Residential Building Mandatory Disclosure Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) is part of the regulatory impact assessment process, and is a vital tool in the stakeholder consultation process.

The Department, on behalf of the National Framework on Energy Efficiency Building Implementation Committee, has now released the Consultation RIS which models six options for implementation, from technically-detailed assessments through to a checklist approach and a voluntary scheme. It also considers the options of disclosure at point of sale only versus point of sale and lease.

The consultation paper and supporting documents can be found at the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism. All interested parties are invited to take up the opportunity to comment on the options and put forward input and feedback on issues raised by the Consultation RIS.

Consultation sessions

The consultation session process has now been completed in all states and territories. The consultations were run between the 2nd – 18th August 2011.

Several online meetings (Web casts) will also be held. To register your interest in participating in an online meeting send an e-mail to buildings@climatechange.gov.au

Webcasts timetable
Webcast Date Time Place
1 Monday, 29 August 2011 12pm QLD
2 Tuesday, 30 August 2011 10am NSW
3 Tuesday, 30 August 2011 1pm VIC
4 Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10am TAS
5 Wednesday, 31 August 2011 1pm SA
6 Friday, 2 September 2011 10am NT
7 Friday, 2 September 2011 1pm  ACT
8 Monday, 5 September 2011 10am National
9 Monday, 5 September 2011 1pm WA
10 Tuesday, 6 September 2011 10am National

Submissions should be received by 12 September 2011.

Consultation paper - Submission Guidelines

  1. Submissions are invited from all interested parties;
  2. Submissions should be lodged electronically to the email address below. A guide and template (66 KB) on providing submissions has been provided. Use of the template is preferred but not essential. Completed submissions should be saved in Microsoft Word or other text based formats.
  3. Alternatively, submissions may be sent to the postal address below.
  4. Submissions will not be treated as confidential and may be made publicly available. If a submission (or extract of a submission) is to be kept confidential, please indicate this in the submission; and
  5. All submissions are due by COB 12 September 2011. The Government may not be able to consider late submissions.

Submissions should be sent to:

Submission guide and template (66 KB)