Buildings
The energy used by Australian buildings accounts for approximately 20 per cent of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions, split fairly evenly between homes and commercial buildings.
Our work on buildings is all being done as part of a landmark agreement to expand and accelerate energy efficiency efforts through a National Strategy on Energy Efficiency (COAG, updated July 2010) released by Australian, state and territory governments in July 2009.
COAG Communique
National Strategy on Energy Efficiency
The $88 million National Strategy on Energy Efficiency builds on the existing resources and financial support available to improve homes and workplaces.
National Strategy on Energy Efficiency COAG, updated July 2010.
The Australian Government is managing the following measures to transform the energy efficiency of our buildings under the strategy:
- Improving the efficiency of new buildings and major renovations by increasing the energy efficiency requirements in the 2010 update of the National Construction Code.
- Providing information to the housing market by requiring Australian homes to provide energy, greenhouse and water performance information to buyers and renters, starting with energy efficiency in 2012.
- Requiring disclosure of the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and government buildings to interested buyers and tenants, commencing from 1 November 2010.
- Collecting comprehensive information on how energy efficient Australian homes and commercial buildings are now to help inform future policy.
- Developing a national building framework to deliver consistency in how building energy efficiency is assessed and rated throughout Australia and for reviewing and setting stronger minimum energy efficiency standards for new and existing homes and commercial buildings over time.
- Improving the energy efficiency of the appliances and equipment used to fit out buildings.
- Offering financial support and information resources to homes and commercial buildings. Information on each of these measures can be found on the building pages. All building energy efficiency policies involving regulations are subject to consultation and a detailed assessment of their impact.
National Buildings Framework
The national buildings framework will aim for consistency on how buildings are assessed and rated for energy efficiency and set out a pathway for increasing minimum performance standards over time.
The framework is the result of a commitment by Australian, state and territory governments under the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency.
In summary, the framework will:
- set increasingly strong minimum performance standards over time for new buildings and major renovations, with standards to be reviewed and increased regularly, for example every 3 years
- cover all classes of residential and commercial buildings
- apply to new and existing buildings
- cover the building envelope including roof, walls, doors and windows as well as the energy efficiency of key building services
- aim to bring together assessment and rating tools for existing and new buildings
- include common measurement and reporting to help in setting building standards and assessing building performance
- allow for the use of rating tools developed by the market, provided they are accurate, transparent and user friendly
- encourage innovation in meeting defined performance standards
- continue to communicate energy efficiency improvements using star ratings, and
- facilitate effective monitoring and compliance.
Measures under the national buildings framework will be implemented through the National Construction Code where they affect new buildings work.
The framework will also be capable of being extended over time to cover broader sustainability issues including the level of greenhouse gas emissions generated and water used by homes and commercial buildings.
An Australian, state and territory government working group has been established to lead the development of the framework and consult with stakeholders.
An expert reference group has also been established to provide technical feedback on options being considered for the framework.
Public consultation period on the Framework discussion paper has now closed. The Department thanks all organisations and individuals who made submissions on the Framework.
The Framework is expected to be considered by governments in 2011.
For more information or to add your name or organisation to a register for updates on the building framework measure please email
buildings@climatechange.gov.au Pathway to 2020
The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, on behalf of the Senior Officials Group on Energy Efficiency (made up of officials from each jurisdiction which is charged with overseeing the implementation of the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency) commissioned a consultancy study by Pitt and Sherry to investigate options for what could be achievable goals for reduced energy use in new buildings by 2020. The study estimated low, medium and high scenarios for what could be achieved in terms of the thermal performance of the building shell and the energy used by fixed appliances and equipment within the building. This took into account trends in improving building technology, rates of industry learning, and the influences of other government policies and economic factors.
The report has not been endorsed by governments and is one of a number of inputs into the development of the Framework. The reduction percentages identified in the report must therefore be regarded as indicative only. Any goal would need to be translated into specific performance standards for incorporation in a future edition of the National Construction Code, and be subject to a formal regulatory impact assessment process.
The Pathway to 2020 for Low-Energy, Low-Carbon Buildings in Australia: Indicative Stringency Study (PDF 2.88 MB)
Reduced infrastructure costs from improving building energy efficiency
The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency commissioned a study to quantify savings to energy system infrastructure related to improvements in building energy performance.
Electricity and gas consumption in residential, commercial and industrial buildings is forecast to increase significantly over the next decade. This increase in consumption, both electrical and gas, is linked to the capacity of the existing infrastructure to provide the quantity of energy delivered and to meet the peak demand placed on the system at times of maximum usage.
Assuming business as usual, over $46 billion in electricity network infrastructure alone is planned over just the next five years.
Works currently underway are already contributing to increases in energy tariffs and this is expected to continue.
Energy efficiency is often described as offering the largest, cheapest and quickest way to manage energy demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the relationship between energy efficiency measures and their impact on peak demand—which is the primary driver of investment in new capital-intensive infrastructure—is not well understood. This research examines the relationships between energy efficiency measures in the building sector and peak energy demand and analyses and quantifies the avoidable infrastructure costs associated with those energy system impacts.
This report was commissioned to support consideration of some of the non-direct benefits of energy efficiency. It has not been endorsed by governments but provides one input to ongoing analysis of these issues.
Building Our Savings: Reduced infrastructure costs from improving building energy efficiency (PDF 2.44 MB)