By Tina Perinotto 3 February 2012 – Could John Brogden be the man to save Sydney? The Urban Taskforce thinks so. The developers’ lobby group leapt on this week’s appointment of the former Liberal Leader as chairman of Landcom to say this... 
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3 February 2012 – Following is a list – and map – of 43 properties that will be considered for fast tracking by the NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard.  But not their owners. The Fifth Estate asked the planning minister’s office for the... 
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By Tina Perinotto 2 February 2012 – This year will mark the Green Building Council of Australia’s 10th anniversary and chief executive Romilly Madew has no plans to waste Read More > >  
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By Lynne Blundell 1 February 2012 – Smart meters, hailed by government and electricity distributors as the answer to reducing power use, have fallen victim to an inefficient distribution system, regulatory complexity and inflexible pricing. So far... 
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31 January 2012 – Prominent climate change author and philosopher Clive Hamilton has called for funding sources of Institute of Public Affairs, a major source of climate disinformation, to be revealed. “Environment groups are upfront about their funding,... 
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31 January 2012 – Airconditioning industry suppliers are still cheating in their performance claims according to the Australian Duct Manufacturer’s Alliance  which blames the government for failing to end the practice. ADMA’s chairman, Paul Sterling... 
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30 January 2012 – Victorian Building and Plumbing Industry Commissioner Mr Tony Arnel today resigned from his role after 12 years. Mr Arnel, who is chair of the Green Building Council of Australia, will be replaced in a one year term by Michael... 
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By Tina Perinotto 27 January 2012 – Stockland has claimed the energy costs of its new homes can shave more than $2000 a year off the energy bill for an average four bedroom suburban home in Sydney’s outer western suburb of Penrith. A new three... 
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Message needs to stick 27 January 2012 –Paul Keating not long ago lashed out at “sandal-wearing, muesli-chewing, bike-riding pedestrians”. It was another Keatingesque king-hit. He somehow managed to lump the whole green/climate change/design-sensitive... 
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A Fifth Estate Special Report   25 January 2012 – In November last year Green Capital pulled out all stops to find out why the  green and climate change agenda has failed to deliver the media and marketing wins that are now critically... 
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24 January 2012 – More than half of the 12 superannuation funds surveyed in a report by actuarial firm Mercer have included climate change risks into investment decisions. The funds surveyed including AustralianSuper and VicSuper had combined assets... 
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24 January 2012 – A $120 million fund in an intergovernmental forest agreement could create 3000 regional jobs in Tasmania, a report commissioned by Greens Leader Bob Brown has shown. The fund would largely replace the 3500 jobs lost from forestry since... 
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27 January 2012 – The case against wind farms on health grounds took a dramatic step backwards this week after Freedom of Information documents obtained by Friends of the Earth slammed claims that wind turbines are bad for local residents’ health. The... 
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20 January 2012 – The Federal Government on Friday announced its new Urban Policy Forum of 30 members. It will include former South Australian Premier Mike Rann, former Deputy Prime Minister Brian Howe  current head of the Local Government Association... 
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Ethical dilemmas Parts I, II, and III 20 January 2012 – It’s the start of the year so let’s take a big picture look at what’s in store. Starting globally. In India, they’re throwing nervous glances over the Himalayas at China. A... 
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20 January 2012 – Australia’s energy, transport and telecommunications infrastructure could well do with a new national body to co-ordinate greater resilience to climate change, a new government report has found. The report, The Role of Regulation... 
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By Tina Perinotto 23 January 2012 – Long standing and well regarded head of the NSW Department of Environment & Heritage Lisa Corbyn left her job suddenly on Friday, amid reports she was pushed out by Environment Minister Robyn Parker and a department... 
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By Michael Mobbs 20 January 2012 When Somalia’s political system collapsed the country had no government. The government collapsed after a 2006 US-backed Ethiopian invasion. There was no one to issue fishing licences, to control national or international... 
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18 January 2012 ­– Private developers in Japan may qualify for 50 per cent subsidies to build shared use buildings under a program to foster more sustainable cities. And buyers of energy efficient homes may soon qualify for tax breaks. The move is... 
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17 January 2012 – A report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance shows a 36 per cent surge in total investment in solar technology in 2011 to $US136.6 billion, nearly double the $US74.9 billion investment in wind power, which was down 17 per cent on the previous... 
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By Lyn Drummond 16 January 2012 – When the deputy head of Griffith University’s school of engineering Steven O’Keefe is asked if there are any engineering jobs in the sustainable energy area he is amazed that students and parents do not grasp... 
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By Tina Perinotto 13 December 2011 – Built environment, stand up and take a modest bow. According to the federal government’s 2011 State of the Environment Report, there is threatening news on most of our ecological fronts, but despite 87  per... 
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by Lynne Blundell FAVOURITES: 22 November 2011 –At the Colonial First State Global Asset Management Responsible Investment Forum earlier this year chief executive officer Mark Lazberger expressed frustration over the investment industry’s short... 
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By Jacqueline McArthur 7 December 2011  – Carrot or stick are the two options architects, body corporates and government policy makers have at their disposal when protecting their green credentials. But in these straightened times it seems the stick... 
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By Lyn Drummond 5 January 2012 – Plans are at last progressing to turn the rapidly developing residential and industrial heart of the Sydney suburbs of Macquarie Park and North Ryde into a more vibrant community centre – but it will still take time. For... 
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20 December 2011 – Several industries including ethical consumerism, fitness centres and further education are poised to benefit from consumers most popular  New Year resolutions according to an IBISWorld study. The chief beneficiaries of consumer... 
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By Scott Willey 13 December 2011 – The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s Centre For Design is working with the UK entrepreneurial charity Bioregional to extend BioRegional’s portfolio of leading demonstration projects. Read More > >  
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By Tina Perinotto 21 December 2011 – Forget the feel good factors in energy efficiency or climate change. At the end of the day, according to green enthusiast Harry Chua, it’s the beautiful set of numbers on the bottom line that make the recent... 
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Top stories for 2011 and wishes hopes and dreams 21 December 2011 – What did you like to read in The Fifth Estate in 2011? We’ve compiled a list of the Top 30 stories (below). It makes informative viewing. Top of the list was Job News. Of course.... 
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20 December 2011: The Green Building Council of Australia has wrapped the year with 100 Green Star buildings certified, the highest in any one year. GBCA chief executive Romilly Madew said more than 390 buildings had achieved Green Star ratings, with... 
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