Energy Makeovers

Sustainability is certainly the buzz word of the moment and sustainability in construction was certainly the key concern of all those who attended the Fourth Annual Green Living Workshop on 25 November 2009. More than 60 builders, business partners and suppliers who attended were welcomed by Radley De Silva, Deputy Executive Director, Master Builders. In opening, Radley took the opportunity to speak about current developments in the industry, particularly warranty insurance.

With a number of changes to regulations being proposed for the next year, the focus was on providing the attendees with the most up to date information which would make them able to cope more easily with an increase from 5-star to 6-star requirements for new homes. The presentations were comprehensive, with participants making the most of the opportunity to hear from and have their questions answered by industry specialists.

Bryn Dellar, Managing Director of Energy Makeovers spoke about the important role that reduced emissions from houses will play in carbon abatement. He was able to clearly explain the thinking behind the roll-out of smart meters and what that may mean for household energy bills. It appears there will be a push to reduce peak power use by charging higher amounts for power during these times. He also spoke about the green loans program, the role of the home sustainability assessor and his company’s role within that program. He finished by touching on the move to mandatory disclosure from 2011, which will require an energy assessment of the home to be completed each time it is sold or rented out. As a result of this program property owners may undertake renovations to improve the energy rating of their properties as a similar program in Canberra has shown an increase in sale price associated with a higher energy rating.

Rob Enker, Manager of Sustainability at the Building Commission also spoke about the important role that houses will play in reducing carbon emissions. This important role has been reflected by a number of programs including the subsidised insulation available to houses built before 1991 as part of the Energy Efficient Homes Package and the interest free green loans program. He also touched on the proposed changes from 5-star to 6-star to be introduced into the BCA (Building Code of Australia) in 2010.

Source: Master Builders Green Living Newsletter Issue No.13 – Dec 2009. read more