On Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced ambitious 2035 emissions targets for the country.
It set a national target to reduce emissions by 62–70 percent below 2005 levels by 2035.
While acknowledging that the target is ambitious, the government was keen to emphasise that it was achievable and backed by a practical plan to get there.
The government indicated that one of the focus areas to reduce emissions is the built environment. It says that its Built Environment Sector Plan lays a pathway to reduce the energy used and create resilient spaces.
It involves electrifying where possible, installing more rooftop solar and battery systems and improving the thermal performance of buildings.
Within hours of the government’s announcement, several key facility management stakeholders, who will play a pivotal role in helping to achieve those targets, reacted to the news.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), which issues a rating system for sustainable buildings and communities, welcomed the new 2035 emissions reduction target that it said was coupled with significant funding commitments to drive downwards pressure on electricity prices and decarbonise the economy. It included a new $85 million package for energy performance programs that will, among other things, strengthen NABERS for non-residential buildings and expand the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program beyond offices.
That $85 million package will also invest in the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS), which gives commercial building owners information about the efficiency of their building.
Furthermore,the government will also introduce a $5 billion Net Zero Fund within the National Reconstruction Fund, aimed at helping industrial facilities decarbonise, increase renewable energy use and expand low-emissions manufacturing.
GBCA also praised the $2 billion investment in the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), which will help to further reduce electricity prices.
“Energy efficiency in buildings is one of the cheapest and fastest ways to bring down emissions and bills,” GBCA chief executive Davina Rooney says.
“Government, industry and households are all pulling in the same direction. With the right delivery and clear long-term policy settings, these measures will help Australia cut emissions this decade while improving affordability and resilience.”
The Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) also issued a statement welcoming the government’s new investments in energy efficiency and electrification measures.
“The good news is that the Albanese Government’s Net Zero Plan recognises that and makes important down payments that boost existing programs that support efficiency and electrification,” Energy Efficiency Council CEO Luke Menzel says.
“Sixty-two to seventy percent is a very broad range. Getting to a number with a seven in front of it will come down to how quickly we can deploy existing technologies.”
Menzel notes that while the latest announcement marks a starting point, there is much that will need to be done to reach those targets.
He says that the Energy Efficiency Council and Climateworks Centre analysis found that energy efficiency and electrification alone could deliver an average of 44Mt CO2-e a year between 2026-2035. But getting to that point requires specific actionable measures.
Menzel said key priorities include supporting households by extending and expanding the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme to include more demand side technologies, reform of network regulations to shift investments from new poles and wires to smart technologies that bring down costs for consumers and a new push to support manufacturers and food processors that rely on gas to electrify and improve their energy productivity.
Read more: FM Media partners with Green Building Council of Australia for upcoming edition
