The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) celebrates the Albanese government’s federal budget as investments recognise the importance of constructing environmentally robust and efficient buildings.
GBCA CEO Davina Rooney says while the council approves of the budget’s allocation of $1.8 million towards energy bill relief, sustainability ventures in the built environment need to be anchored in long-term investment rather than one-off subsidies.
“To deliver lasting relief, we must move beyond bill support and prioritise sustainable and resilient buildings,” she says.
Staunch pursuit towards normalising sustainable and resilient buildings
Energy-efficient buildings are proven to decrease emissions and running costs and provide healthier and more comfortable spaces for people to live and work.
The federal budget boasts numerous investments that demonstrate proactiveness in the sustainable and resilient building realm.
Investments include $54 million in elevating modern and innovative construction methods, including prefabricated and modular construction and $626.9 million over four years to improve the New Energy Apprenticeships Program and collaborate with unions and employers nationwide. Rooney cites such methods as essential in empowering the “green collar” jobs required for a net-zero future.
Additional investment areas include $56.7 million in energy-efficiency grants of up to $25,000 for more than 2400 businesses under the Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises program, $3 billion for Australian-made metals to reduce dependence on embodied carbon and an extension of the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy, launched in April 2024.
GBCA hopes federal election promises sustainability action
Rooney says GBCA is eager to continue working with the Albanese government on the policy recommendations in Every Building Counts, a program that strategises how to construct zero-carbon-ready and all-electric buildings.
“Nineteen of the 39 recommendations are already on a pathway to implementation,” she says.
“While new funding initiatives have not been outlined in this budget, we recognise the substantial funding allocated in the previous budget.”
Rooney hopes election campaigns pledge ongoing support to support NABERS and the Australian Building Codes Board.
“These bodies play a crucial role in driving a sustainable and energy-efficient built environment,” she says.
Energy-efficient commercial building trends – innovations for 2025.
