Green Building Council of Australia says the Australian government’s new Smart Cities Plan will encourage greater investment in projects that improve the sustainability of our cities, but it stops short of best practice benchmarks for green buildings, precincts and infrastructure.

The GBCA supports the government’s Smart Cities Plan, which promises to “coordinate and drive smarter city policy.” The policy outlines plans to introduce innovative finance mechanisms, such as the ‘value capture’ model, to deliver infrastructure, and drive innovation, and improve the sustainability of our cities.

Chief Executive Officer of the GBCA, Romilly Madew, said she is pleased to see the government committing to a cities policy.

“We are living in the century of the city – and this demands fresh thinking, smart policy and committed political leaders,” said Madew.

“We are pleased to see that priority will be placed on investments that improve environmental outcomes, and that the Australian Government promises to encourage the use of rating systems such as Green Star.

“What we’d like to see are clear commitments to ensure sustainability is a central pillar of any City Deal project around the nation.

“Put simply, cities can’t be ‘smart’ if they aren’t sustainable,” said Madew.

Madew said, “This new Smart Cities Plan promises big things – and we look forward to working with all levels of government, industry and the community to ensure it delivers.”

See also:

Industry stalwart joins GBCA’s growing team

Australian green leadership in the regional spotlight

CSIRO buys Liveability framework from LJ Hooker

Australian sustainability on a global stage