More than $4.8 million will be invested in transforming NSW’s built environments towards net zero emissions in its action on climate change.
The funding is part of the NSW Government’s Net Zero Buildings initiative – a framework that will initially be rolled-out to commercial buildings including offices, hotels, shopping centres and warehouses – with a view to expand to residential buildings in the future.
The framework will also be available nationally, developed in partnership with other governments and industry groups, and be delivered as part of the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) program.
Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean said the decarbonising of built environments is a big challenge, but it also creates big opportunities.
“Decarbonising our homes and offices means both building them with low emissions construction materials and powering them with renewables,” Mr Kean said.
“That’s why we are developing a world-leading framework to measure and certify embodied carbon for new buildings.”
“This is about taking sustainability up a notch, and pulling a powerful lever to reduce emissions in the built environment and reduce emissions from the buildings we live, work and play in.”
Read more about the Net Zero Buildings initiative
Read more about the NABERS national rating system for environmental performance