BASIX Energy Review Welcomed

The decision by the NSW Government to reconsider its BASIX energy targets for new homes is welcomed by the residential building and construction industry, the Housing Industry Association said today. 

NSW Executive Director Wayne Gersbach said that the BASIX targets were arbitrarily set in the first place. “The targets and the cost of achieving them should have been subject to a more rigorous regulatory impact assessment when they were first introduced,” he said.

 

“Obviously such a process needs to consider actual gains in energy efficiency and weigh the cost to producers and consumers in achieving them.” 

 

The Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, has ordered a review of the BASIX scheme which already mandates an improvement of 25 per cent in energy efficiency for detached houses and town houses and 20 per cent for high rise flats. This target was due to increase to 40 per cent on 1 st July. 

 

Mr Gersbach said the industry is working constantly to develop new materials and systems which will increase the energy efficiency of homes. “We realise our responsibility to the environment and we will continue our efforts,” he said. 

 

“Many of the solutions to achieve a forty per cent reduction in energy use require new technologies. These are particularly expensive for multi unit construction and/or where reticulated gas is not available. 

“HIA is encouraged by Minister Sartor’s recognition that housing affordability needs to be factored in to the setting of practical regulatory benchmarks. 

 

Housing in NSW is already the least affordable in the country. We need to be mindful of cost blowouts that are linked to this and other regulation. 

 

HIA has consistently encouraged governments to look at producers and consumers outside the residential sector. Reducing energy consumption is something that we all can benefit from. The cost of doing so should not be borne solely by home buyers.

 

“The Government should now undertake a thorough audit of BASIX and consult the industry on what can be realistically achieved under the scheme.”