New homes across Sydney have improved their average energy efficiency by just one star in more than a decade, meaning developers will have to make the same-sized jump within 14 months if they are to comply with new building standards aimed at driving down emissions.
The average star rating across the city up to July 2022 was 6.2 stars for new houses and 6.5 for new apartments. Sustainable building expert Dr Trivess Moore, from RMIT, said the case for more energy-efficient homes had existed for years but the property industry was reluctant to change. “The argument put forward by those in the industry, who don’t want to see change, is consumers will choose a more efficient, effective, sustainable house if they value it. The problem is sustainable housing [can be] quite complex in terms of how to deliver it ... It’s not as simple as solar panels,” Moore said.“[Building] is all about how many bedrooms, bathrooms, vanities, the prestige of the house. Very rarely do you see the hidden intangibles that create such a difference.
As usual, let's completely ignore the environmental cost of demolishing perfectly good houses because people (particularly migrants from a certain part of the world) can't bear to live in something that isn't brand new!
Developers lobby against stricter standards such as double glazing, compulsory solar, and light roofs