Yes, wheelchair users can work in construction. Let’s see this as an opportunity Jonathan Fritsch, University of South Australia For an industry that involves climbing ladders and working in confined spaces, construction seems inaccessible for someone in a wheelchair. But according to construction academic from the University of South Australia, Jonathan Fritsch, this isn’t always the cas
On why the net zero all-electric challenge deserves the biggest brains trust we can manage (on 5 August at Flick the Switch) News from the front desk, issue 491: There’s pretty much consensus, in The Fifth Estate’s circles at least, that going all-electric is the most straight-forward way for most buildings to… 5
Are green building rating tools ready for a paradigm shift? Professor Janis Birkeland | 22 July 2020 According to Professor Janis Birkeland, green building rating tools are improving but they are only improving upon a flawed conceptual model.
NABERS to level the playing field for gas and grid electricity usage Poppy Johnston | 16 July 2020 For the first time in NABERS’ 20-plus years, the government’s environmental benchmarking scheme is updating how it accounts for the emissions profile of grid electricity to reflect booming renewable penetration.
Forza Capital’s 6 star NABERS Brisbane rating shows how to make sustainability a value add Tina Perinotto | 25 June 2020 Amid darkening clouds on the office market horizon it seems you can still find room for a major uptick in sustainability ratings and do well financially.
Volume builders locked in and ready for to pilot Green Star for homes Poppy Johnston | 7 May 2020 Metricon, Rawson Homes and Stockland are among the home builders signed up to pilot the Green Building Council of Australia’s new Green Star rating tool for homes, currently out for…
The big winners in the NABERS portfolios index 2020 Poppy Johnston | 7 May 2020 It’s only the second iteration of the NABERS Sustainable Portfolios Index but it’s seen a 48 per cent jump in participation since last year. There’s now 40 portfolios disclosing their…
Whole life value tool will help create net zero buildings in the UK David Thorpe | 5 May 2020 In the UK the government is accelerating development of a tool for public procurement to determine whole life value – including natural, social and net zero metrics – for the…
Lower bills just the tip of the iceberg for Green Star’s business case Poppy Johnston | 26 March 2020 When people think about the benefits of green buildings, low energy bills usually springs to mind.
Why energy efficient buildings should be a top climate policy priority Dr Peter Mallaburn, University College London | 26 March 2020 The UK needs a rating scheme like NABERS to bring down building energy use, writes Dr Peter Mallaburn, who was in Sydney last year to conduct a peer reviewed study of this rating tool. In a meeting with The Fifth Estate at the time he said some people believe Australia is 15 years ahead of the UK in energy efficiency.
Brush off your old CV, the NSW Building Commission is now hiring Wendy Frew | 6 February 2020 NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler is looking to hire up to 60 professionals from the construction industry to work as building project auditors, as he fleshes out plans for a major overhaul of the state’s building industry.
Big business and finance sector taking up the B Corp challenge Poppy Johnston | 10 December 2019 Andrew Davies has been heading up the B Lab for only six months but already he can see a shift in the number and type of companies that are willingly going through the tough B Corp Certification.
Embodied carbon gets its own star rating tool – now for the revolution Poppy Johnston | 28 November 2019 Star rating tools, such as NABERS and Green Star, have been instrumental in driving Australia’s world-leading green building movement. Now there’s a new kid on the block – a star rating scheme for embodied carbon.
Esther Bailey on the role of NABERS in the climate emergency Poppy Johnston | 21 November 2019 The relentlessly optimistic Esther Bailey started a new role at NABERS in September after eight years at the City of Sydney working on the Better Building Partnership and CitySwitch.
How is your government agency performing on NABERS Energy? Willow Aliento and Tina Perinotto | 6 November 2019 Would you lease office space with a zero Star NABERS rating? We couldn’t help but wonder who would, when last week we spotted an office in the Brisbane Club Tower being offered for lease by Colliers in Brisbane with a zero NABERS rating.
NABERS cracks some of the thorniest sectors in 2018-19 Poppy Johnston | 1 October 2019 EXCLUSIVE: It’s been a big year for NABERS, with shopping centres flocking to the environmental rating tool, indoor environment ratings on the rise, and an expansion into the UK.
The seven elements of NABERS’ success that could transform the UK office market David Thorpe | 25 September 2019 The UK’s Better Buildings Partnership (BPP) has published details of the vital elements that have contributed to the success of the hugely transformational Australian NABERS scheme.
