ICANZ applauds ACT 5-Star decision
20/Feb/2006
20 Feb 06
The Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand (ICANZ) today applauded the ACT government's decision to proceed with the mandatory 5 Star energy efficiency-rating scheme for new housing in the ACT.
Dennis D'Arcy, ICANZ President said that the Government's decision is in line with the new national 5 Star building code set to be introduced in May 2006 and is an important step to reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
"5 Star will also reduce the cost of running a home, improve comfort levels and the quality of buildings, as well as make a contribution to reducing the impact of climate change in Australia," Mr D'Arcy said.
In addressing arguments put forward by those apposed to the decision, such as the National Association for Forest Industries, Mr D'Arcy said, "Recent studies by the Victoria Building Commission have confirmed that the direct cost of achieving the 5-Star House Energy Rating (equal to that required by the Building Code of Australia), for the average 250sq.m house is $1,500; equivalent to 0.6% the cost of the average new house, or 0.4% of the cost of the average house-and-land package.
"For home-buyers this is minimal, and the energy cost savings can make homes more affordable by reducing the cost of running the home and making more funds available to pay back the mortgage sooner."
He also said that claims that the computer modeling software AccuRate, used to determine the energy efficiency of buildings, was flawed because it failed to account for embodied energy (the energy used to produce a material), were unfounded.
"Whilst ideologically this would be perfect, there are currently no agreed international protocols for calculating embodied energy contained in building materials, and it will be many years before countries and private companies agree to provide the necessary confidential commercial information.
"Even timber industry data about the benefits of lower embodied energy in timber floors is contradictory.
"For example, the National Timber Development Council brochure, "Environmentally friendly housing using timber" (page13), shows that over the life of the building a typical brick veneer home built on a concrete slab uses less energy through the embodied energy in the building materials and the energy used for heating and cooling than a brick veneer home built on a raised timber floor.
Mr D'Arcy added that these arguments are also largely irrelevant and do not justify delaying 5 Star because the energy, cost and greenhouse gas savings over the 70 year life of the home are very substantial. The flexibility of AccuRate and the 'Deemed to Satisfy' provisions in the national 5 Star Building Code of Australia also allows for substitution of materials and design elements.
"Timber floors can be easily accommodated at low cost with good thermal design, sensible orientation and window placement, and appropriate insulation levels."
Further these measures are by no means extreme. In stark contrast to Australia, the USA, Europe, China and Japan have all gone down the path of better regulation to improve building standards. Australian buildings are currently the least energy efficient in the OECD countries. Even with 5 Star energy efficiency regulations, Australian buildings will still fall far short of overseas minimum building regulations for equivalent climate zones.
For example, recently announced measures in the United States stipulate that homes in San Francisco must have ceiling insulation rated at R 8.6*, compared to the equivalent climate of Melbourne where new houses typically have insulation installed that is rated at R 3.5.
"We still have a long way to go from having the least energy efficient buildings in the OECD to anything approaching international minimum standards. The ACT government's decision is a vital step on the path to a more energy efficient and environmentally responsible Australian building industry," Mr D'Arcy said.
About ICANZ:
The Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand represents around 70 per cent of the insulation manufactured and sold in Australia and New Zealand. Its members have a major stake in the building industry. ICANZ supports better levels of regulation that ensure commercial and residential buildings deliver the full economic, environmental and health benefits of insulation.
* An insulation product's thermal efficiency (its ability to resist the transfer of heat) is measured in terms of its R-value - the higher the R-value number, the greater the insulation's thermal efficiency.
This media release is also available as a PDF: ICANZ applauds ACT decision to proceed with 5 Star
