APARTMENTS TO GET ‘GREEN’ MAKEOVER
12 Jun 2012
25 of Sydney’s apartment buildings are about to get a green makeover thanks to the City of Sydney's ‘Smart Green Apartments Program’.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has applauded the City of Sydney’s new ‘Smart Green Apartments’ program, which will help building owners to improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of their buildings.
“Boosting the sustainability of our existing building stock remains a huge challenge, and we are pleased to see the City of Sydney taking a leadership position on this issue,” says Robin Mellon, GBCA Executive Director of Advocacy and Business Services.
“The vast majority of Australia’s buildings are poor performers in terms of energy and water efficiency, as well as indoor environment quality. The Smart Green Apartments program will provide the incentives and share the expertise necessary to show building owners that green building retrofits are affordable and achievable,” he added.
The program seeks to create more efficient, cost-effective buildings, with a focus on energy and water efficiency and waste reduction. The City of Sydney will work with 25 apartment buildings to improve base building performance, minimise environmental impacts and connect residents around greening initiatives.
“The Smart Green Apartments program is a great start – but there is much more work to be done. We encourage the City of Sydney to widen its sustainability focus and take an integrated approach to sustainability, using the nine categories of the Green Star environmental rating system as a guide,” said Robin.
“Visionary government leadership and existing building performance are two of the five green building priorities for NSW and Sydney, and we look forward to working closely with the City of Sydney to support its sustainability agenda,” concluded Robin.
About the Green Building Council of Australia
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is Australia’s leading authority on green buildings and communities. The GBCA was established in 2002 to develop a sustainable property industry in Australia and drive the adoption of green building practices. The GBCA has 850 member companies who work together to support the Council and its activities. The GBCA promotes green building programs, technologies, design practices and processes, and operates Australia’s only national voluntary comprehensive environmental rating system for buildings - Green Star.
Visit: www.gbca.org.au
