27 Nov 2019
We have big aims and we are focused on delivering them.
This is the underlying message of our general purpose annual report – the first in this format – which we tabled at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday.
Annual reports are notoriously boring – and maybe I’m a little bit biased – but not this one.
I’m incredibly proud of our industry’s collective efforts over the last year, and the numbers themselves are impressive.
Our study of 681 buildings with Green Star – Design & As Built ratings found they have collectively saved enough emissions to power 90,690 homes or 160,796 homes for a year. We’d also need to plant nearly 12.5 million seedlings a decade ago to offset the same amount of emissions.
Impact isn’t just about numbers, though, and I’m equally proud of our sustained advocacy which helped to deliver the first upgrade to the National Construction Code in the commercial property sector in a decade.
Our collaboration with the National Carbon Offset Standard, now Climate Active, achieved the first carbon neutral industrial buildings in Australia.
We certified railway stations, released a discussion paper for future homes, and continued to work on the next phase of Green Star through Future Focus. (You can read more about our top priorities for Green Star Focus and why we want your feedback in this month’s Green Building Voice.)
We believe transparent information at your fingertips – in our annual report and in our new Green Star report – can help you do your day-to-day job better.
But in alignment with best practice in integrated reporting, we don’t want to just outline our financials and look back at the year that was.
Our role is to review the global sustainability megatrends, to interpret their relationship to property, and then to create tools and strategic partnerships that help our members activate our purpose. And that purpose is crystal clear: to lead the sustainable transformation of the built environment.
This annual report is our industry blueprint for 2020. The transformation we need will only be realised through scale and by pushing beyond the asset classes that have been our traditional stronghold. In 2020 we will focus on four key areas:
We have an ambitious agenda for 2020 – and a clear strategy and purpose is the first step. So download our annual report, digest its contents, and then get ready to roll up your sleeves in 2020.