16 Dec 2024
It has been another big year for policy. The Climate Change Authority’s (CCA) 2024 Annual Progress Report shows Australia has made important progress in delivering new policies to reduce emissions, but there is still much more to be done. The independent assessment tells us that emissions are falling, but not fast enough. With an overall reduction by 3 Mt CO2-e in 2023-24, Australia’s total emissions will need to fall by an average of 15 Mt CO2-e each year for the next six years to reach our 2030 emissions reduction target. The need to urgently ramp up climate action is clear.
While leaders in the built environment are taking strides in delivering not just net-zero-carbon-ready buildings, but climate positive buildings, ambitious and coordinated policy is needed to accelerate the rate of change and bring the whole industry along. The CCA makes several recommendations which echo the GBCA’s calls for government action detailed in Every Building Counts. These include expanding disclosure schemes, regulation to prioritise electrification and introducing financial incentives for retrofits. GBCA applauds policy action already underway with the recent release of the Home Energy Rating Disclosure Framework Version 2 earlier this month and the announcement that a roadmap will be developed to expand the Commercial Building Disclosure program. We also continue to urge governments to uphold their commitments to regularly review and update the National Construction Code (NCC).
Whilst emissions from the built environment sector fell by 3% in 2023-24, we know that the sector is capable of much more. Policy and regulation have a clear and critical role to play in driving down emissions. GBCA’s call to all governments in 2025 is to seize the opportunities that coordinated and consistent policy and regulation can play in delivering not just emissions reductions, but in boosting the economy, driving down energy demand and creating healthier, more resilient homes and buildings for Australians.
GBCA has welcomed the Australian Government’s new National Urban Policy. With nearly 80% of Australians living in urban centres, the policy reflects the shared vision of Australia's Planning Ministers for sustainable urban growth and is a crucial step toward delivering sustainable, liveable, and climate-resilient cities for future generations. It provides a much-needed framework to address challenges such as equitable access to housing, infrastructure planning, and climate resilience.
GBCA CEO, Davina Rooney is a member of the Urban Policy Forum, providing direct contribution to the development of the National Urban Policy.
National Urban Policy pdfGBCA congratulates NABERS on the launch of the Embodied Carbon rating tool earlier this month – a massive milestone. This new tool enables new buildings and partial rebuilds to measure and compare their upfront embodied carbon with similar buildings, empowering developers, owners, and investors to make data-driven decisions that will help us reach our shared climate goals faster.
How? In Australia, embodied carbon from construction activity accounts for 10% of our emissions, most of which happen before or during construction, but Infrastructure Australia research shows we can achieve up to a 23% reduction in these emissions by 2027 with simple decarbonisation strategies.
By measuring emissions, we can create better strategies to decarbonise the future. GBCA is proud to have contributed to this work and we look forward to supporting the uptake of this tool across industry.
Learn moreWestern Australia’s Department of Communities has taken a major step toward meeting the state’s climate goals, with the release of its Climate Action and Sustainability Strategy 2024-2027.
The strategy commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring all new buildings are fully electric and energy efficient, as well as collaboration with industry to develop a waste and circularity strategy for construction and refurbishment projects.
The Department of Communities plays a crucial role in working with Western Australia’s most vulnerable people. This strategy will help to ensure the provision of housing that is sustainable, energy-efficient, and built to withstand the impacts of climate change.
Read the WA Department of Communities Climate Action and Sustainability StrategyEach year we publish Green Star: A Year in Focus to showcase the certification achievements and Green Star-related milestones over the past financial year. Check it out for insights and highlights, as well as a diverse set of case studies, including several government projects.
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See recent GBCA submissions here