New home front in Queensland climate change battle

The State Government today declared house design the new front in Queensland’s battle against climate change.

Acting Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas detailed a number of new sustainability measures in the State Government’s Improving Sustainable Housing in Queensland, released today for public comment.

Mr Lucas said inefficient housing design and outdated building codes were costing Queenslanders money in energy costs and taking a toll on the environment.

He said the central plank of the housing sustainability policy was a requirement that new homes built from 2009 meet a five-star energy efficiency rating through improved water conservation, use of insulation, natural lighting and better design.

“A key element of the future of sustainable housing in Queensland is our past,” Mr Lucas said.

“A hundred years ago the old ‘timber and tin’ Queenslanders were designed and built for our warm weather. Home designs that work in the cooler southern states are often simply not suitable to our warmer climate and way of life.

“It’s important new homes are designed with our tropical climate in mind and promote better indoor–outdoor connections like decks and verandahs.

“The report also identifies opportunities for improving the energy efficiency of air-conditioning and residential hot-water systems, and reducing energy consumption through improvements in lighting, water conservation and insulation,” Mr Lucas said.

“In many ways this policy is about combining old-fashioned common sense design with the latest in sustainable building materials and energy efficient technologies.”

Measures in the discussion paper include:

• requiring new houses from January 1, 2009 be built to a 5-star (out of 10) energy equivalent rating,
• requiring the completion of a ‘sustainability declaration’ for existing houses and units when sold or leased that detail their energy efficiency and sustainability levels,
• preventing the sale and installation of inefficient air-conditioners,
• investigating requiring all new units to be built to a 5-star (out of 10) energy equivalent rating,
• investigate providing better recognition of outdoor–indoor living areas in Queensland’s building standards,
• investigating developing a star rating for building materials, and
• investigating banning residential estate covenants which restrict the use of energy-efficient design features and fixtures.

Existing sustainability measures also discussed include:

• require improved water-saving toilets and tap ware, and energy-efficient lighting in new houses and units,
• From 1 January 2010, phase out electric hot water systems, at time of replacement in existing homes located within a gas-reticulated area.

Mr Lucas said the proposal to provide people purchasing or renting an existing property with a sustainability declaration would increase consumer choice.

“This measure would let people see for themselves exactly how energy efficient an existing house or unit is and use that information as part of their decision to buy or rent.”

Mr Lucas said major international studies showed substantial gas reductions could be achieved through better building design.

“The McKinsey Report on climate change says the building sector, both commercial and residential, provides the lowest-cost opportunity to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

Mr Lucas said the discussion paper also included specific information that accounted for the variation in climate across the Queensland.

“This policy is not about banning air-conditioners,” Mr Lucas said.

“We need to understand that there are parts of Queensland such as the tropics where it would be very difficult for people to survive without an air-conditioner.

“So a major part of this policy will be about houses that put far less demand on air conditioning and air conditioners that are far more energy efficient as well.

“New homes in Queensland are already required to have greenhouse-efficient hot water systems, energy-efficient lighting, water-efficient shower heads and toilets, and rainwater tanks plumbed into toilets and the laundry.

“But there are many more practical and affordable measures that can be taken so that occupants of new and existing homes use less energy, save water and live in their homes longer.

“These are important issues that literally go to the heart of how we live now and in the future and I encourage all Queenslanders and interested stakeholders to have a say.”

The Improving Sustainable Housing in Queensland is available of the Department of Infrastructure and Planning website: www.dip.qld.gov.au or phone 1800 153 262.

Submissions close September 12.

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 0419 757 868

Facts on housing sustainability

• An average of 33,000 new houses a year will be needed to be built over the next two decades to meet demand in Queensland
• In the state’s southeast, private residences account for 75% of the region’s water use
• Household electricity use in SEQ has increased 10% a year in recent years
• The new measures would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 3.6 million tonnes (equivalent to taking over 720,000 cars off the road) by 2020
• They would save 550 million litres of water (or 220 Olympic-sized swimming pools) every 10 years.