PM’S ENERGY EFFICIENCY REPORT A VITAL STEP ON THE ROAD TO A GREENER BUILT ENVIRONMENT

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)
welcomes the release of the Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency
report.
The report was commissioned by the Australian Government to provide advice on
the development of policy that will strengthen Australia’s response to climate
change and reduce pressure on energy costs.
Chief Executive of the GBCA, Romilly Madew, says that the report is “a vital step
on the road to a greener built environment for Australia.
“We are delighted to see the report identify some of the opportunities within the
built environment – although I emphasise that there are many more opportunities
to be embraced than those outlined in the report,” Ms Madew says.
“Clean energy solutions have been available for a number of years, and great
advances in their development have been made within Australia. Green building
is one of the world’s fastest growing industries and many buildings and
communities can now produce their own energy through solar, photovoltaic,
wind, cogeneration, trigeneration and biogas initiatives, among many other
approaches,” Ms Madew explains.
“Energy efficiency schemes and technologies are readily available now – they
don’t have to be expensive to implement, and they’re not complicated to
understand.”
The GBCA is pleased with the current multi-partisan discussions about a price on
carbon.
“Certainty in the market is important. Australian business, as well as the general
public, should be part of the conversation so that they can fully understand the
benefits, the value and the long-term significance to the economy, the
environment, policy and productivity,” Ms Madew says.
“Not only does greater energy efficiency make both economic and environmental
sense, but it will help reduce the built environment’s – as well as any individual’s,
family’s or company’s – exposure to any price on carbon,” Ms Madew concludes.
About the Green Building Council of Australia
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is Australia’s leading authority on
green building. The GBCA was established in 2002 to develop a sustainable
property industry in Australia and drive the adoption of green building practices.
The GBCA has more than 900 member companies who work together to support
the Council and its activities. The GBCA promotes green building programs,
technologies, design practices and processes, and operates Australia’s only
national voluntary comprehensive environmental rating system for buildings –
Green Star.