31 Jul 2017
31 July 2017
Building a sustainable future for both people and planet demands the use of best practice materials and products, says the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
“There is nothing sustainable about non-conforming or non-compliant building products,“ says the GBCA’s Head of Public Affairs, Jonathan Cartledge.
“The GBCA and the Green Star rating system for buildings and communities delivers holistic sustainability aligned with our vision for healthy, positive places for people.
“No product or building can claim sustainability in its design or use if it does not first ensure safety."
The current resolve by governments to address the complexity of non-conforming building products must not be compromised through fallacious arguments that link non-conforming building products with sustainability. A building or product that is unsafe is not sustainable.
“Increasing public scrutiny on the supply and use of these products is a welcome development which demands a comprehensive response by government and industry.
Like many in the industry and government, the GBCA is acutely aware of the risks and challenges associated with non-conforming building products and their increasing prevalence throughout the construction supply chain.
“Building ministers around the country have made it quite clear that these issues are not easily resolved, but require a collaborative approach across industry.”
The ongoing inquiry into non-conforming building products with the Senate Economics Reference Committee is expected to conclude with a final report before 31 October 2017.
“Our submission to the inquiry was supportive of the significant industry efforts led by the Construction Product Alliance and the Building Products Innovation Council,” Mr Cartledge says.
“In particular, we recognise that the pathway forward must address both non-compliance and non-conformance.”
Non-conforming products are those products that do not comply with the relevant standards or codes in Australia. In contrast, non-complying products adhere to standards and codes but are installed or applied incorrectly.
“The best solution is a national approach to reinforce our already high standards,” Mr Cartledge says.
The Green Building Council of Australia stands ready to work collaboratively with our members to support any appropriate industry response in collaboration with government.”