Environmental Policy
Planning and building regulations across Australia are increasingly dealing with ways to improve the environmental performance of housing and address climate change. These regulations can often have an impact on housing affordability and the way new homes and existing homes are built or renovated.
The major environmental issues being dealt with in housing design and construction include:
- Identifying ways to conserve our natural resources through environmentally responsible housing
- Improving the energy efficiency of new and existing housing
- Improving the water efficiency of new and existing housing
- Addressing the operational energy and water use of all housing
HIA’s National Policy Congress has endorsed a series of policies on existing and emerging issues such as energy and water efficiency to assist in HIA’s responses to these important issues.
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Current at: 22 September 2010
National assessment framework & mandatory disclosure
The National Assessment Framework being developed under the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency is scheduled to be in place by May 2011. The Framework was intended to apply to all new buildings under BCA 2011 and to be introduced for all existing buildings as part of proposed mandatory disclosure requirements by May 2011.
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Current at: 08 February 2010
6 star moves ahead...
A decision on the introduction of 6-star energy efficiency provisions into BCA 2010 was finally made in mid-January 2010 by the Building Minister’s Forum. The changes will apply to both single dwellings (Class 1a) and apartment buildings (Class 2). Changes will also proceed for the commercial building sector.
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Current at: 04 September 2008
Environmental Performance Of Existing Homes
This policy statement sets out HIA’s position on the environmental performance of existing houses and highlights where HIA believes government attention should be focused to resolve the present disparity between the responsibility of new homes to meet environmental benchmarks and performance of existing homes
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Current at: 19 December 2007
Resource Management
A policy that provides HIA’s position in relation to the conservation of natural resources during the residential building process. It also outlines HIA’s proactive stance towards these issues and is based around the principles of the GreenSmart Program.
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Current at: 19 December 2007
Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings
This policy sets our HIA’s position on the regulation of energy efficiency in all housing types. The policy considers alternate methods of increasing the energy efficiency of housing without further increases in the energy star rating requirement and which promote voluntary schemes (such as HIA GreenSmart) and regulations which will improve the performance of existing homes.
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Current at: 19 December 2007
Water Efficiency in Residential Buildings
This policy sets out HIA’s position on the regulation of water efficiency in all housing types. The policy promotes alternate approaches that can improve the water efficiency of existing homes through both voluntary schemes (such as HIA GreenSmart) and regulations.
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Current at: 19 December 2007
Waste Management
This policy covers all aspects of HIA’s position in relation to the creation and disposal of waste (building materials) generated during the building process, as well as the need to minimise waste where possible. The policy is based around the principles of HIA’s GreenSmart program.
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