The Green Building Council of Australia has released a five-point plan for sustainable buildings, communities and cities to guide politicians in the lead-up to the federal election on 2 July. The plan has been developed to help politicians from all parties understand the policies and programs that drive down emissions while enhancing productivity, liveability and sustainability in Australia’s cities.

For the last decade, the Australian property and construction industry has been committed to reducing carbon emissions, delivering cost savings, boosting health and productivity, and creating places that are good for the environment and people too.

The evidence of this evolution is there for all to see. More than 1,060 Green Star projects equate to 14 million square metres of Green Star certified space – more than twice the size of the Melbourne CBD.

Our industry has been ranked the ‘global green leader’ for five years running by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, and Australian companies dominate the annual Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

But we need to move faster if we are to arrest climate change – and we need to move faster if we are to ensure we can accommodate a growing population in cities that are liveable and sustainable.

The GBCA’s five priorities for federal government action are:

- Move towards net zero

- Raise minimum standards for buildings

- Harness the potential of mid-tier buildings

- Accelerate the advancement of a precinct utilities marketplace

- Catalyse the sustainable cities movement.

These policies and programs are important – but strong leadership from our politicians is vital. We’ll continue to work hard over this long election campaign to seek commitment from all political parties to build a better, more sustainable future for all Australians.

See also:

Australian green leadership in the regional spotlight