Energy efficiency goals for the building sector

Australia’s building sector could save billions of dollars and reach zero carbon emissions by 2050, with energy efficiency delivering over half the emissions reductions.

That’s the conclusion of the Low Carbon, High Performance report, recently released by the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) and authored by ClimateWorks Australia.

“Over the last decade, energy efficiency delivered more than 100 PJ in energy savings and $28 billion in avoided energy bills in Australian buildings,” noted Luke Menzel, CEO of the Energy Efficiency Council (a member of ASBEC). “But there are still huge efficiency gains to be made in the building sector. Unlocking this potential will be essential for Australia to achieve its goals under the Paris Climate Change Agreement.”

With buildings accounting for 23% of Australia’s emissions, strong action is needed to meet our international obligations to transition to zero net emissions by 2050. This isn’t impossible, however — the report states that buildings can achieve zero carbon by 2050 using existing technologies, as well as deliver one quarter of the national emissions target and over half of the national energy productivity target by 2030.

The report noted that improving the energy performance of buildings has many benefits beyond reducing emissions and energy bills. This adds to recent research commissioned by the Australian Government which found that the economic benefits of improved office worker productivity in more efficient buildings could be double the benefits of energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions.

“The quality of Australia’s buildings has a huge impact on our productivity and quality of life,” said Menzel. “Buildings that are built or retrofitted for energy efficiency are more comfortable, quieter and tend to have better indoor air quality.”

But while Australia’s big property institutions have achieved significant gains in the energy performance of their portfolios, said Menzel, “overall energy intensity across the building sector has only slightly improved. That means the majority of Australians are not experiencing the benefits of energy efficiency in their homes and workplaces.”

The Energy Efficiency Council is now calling on federal and state governments to support the enabling policy roadmap set out in the report. With both major parties having made serious commitments to improving Australia’s energy efficiency, said Menzel, “The next step is to back up the ambition with a clear program for action.”