The Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability has laid down the gauntlet to ACT builders to build the Territory’s first ‘net zero’ emissions commercial or large scale residential complex.
The Minister, Shane Rattenbury said he posed his challenge because there was a need to continue to raise the standard of environmental performance in ACT buildings.
“In this context, we need someone to step up and deliver the ACT’s first net zero emissions large scale building, which will be an iconic achievement and a lasting legacy for our city,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“The ACT is already a leader when it comes to energy and we’re on track to have 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2020, but to reduce the ACT’s greenhouse gas emissions to our target of net zero by mid-century, we now need to focus on other sources of emissions, and the built environment is a key area.”
He said net zero buildings were highly efficient and consumed less energy in total than the amount of renewable energy they produced.
He said recent research commissioned by the City of Sydney showed that these buildings were technically feasible and highly cost effective.
“In Canberra, high density residential or commercial net zero buildings would bring many benefits, including reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, providing high-quality urban living and work spaces and increasing density for a more liveable city,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“The Government is keen to ensure our planning system allows for these types of best practice environmental developments in Canberra,” he said.
