Page 732 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 2010
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When we hear stories of 16 per cent of insulation being installed in a substandard manner, we have to wonder just how many other things are done in our buildings to substandard levels but are not being picked up on. As well as hearing in the Rudd insulation program that the insulation was not actually being installed, I have heard exactly the same story with new buildings in the ACT where insulation either was not installed at all or was just put up in the roofing cavity and not taken out of its plastic bags and laid out. Either way, it does not work.
Another area where we certainly see this problem is the house energy efficiency rating and the lack of certification. Luckily in this case, it is not actually a danger to life and limb but it is a concern, because building owners simply are not getting what they are paying for. They end up paying for this in the long run, with additional heating and cooling costs and a much less comfortable building.
We have seen a number of houses which must in fact have been assessed as five-star houses when they were constructed to pass BCA requirements but, after they have been built and then are resold and their energy efficiency rating is reassessed, their energy efficiency rating may go down to three or even 2½ stars. I do appreciate that things can change but it is very hard to imagine that they were in fact constructed at five stars, which was the legal minimum, or even probably 4½ stars, if when they are resold they are certified down at three stars. It is very hard to imagine that they could have been correctly certified in the first place.
As a result of questioning last year, I established that energy efficiency ratings are unfortunately not, in general, audited in the ACT. I moved a motion in the Assembly last year to ensure that at least five per cent of energy efficiency ratings for new houses will be audited.
Another point is that the fact that there is a total lack of certification of energy assessors is a concern. However, I do understand that this is going to be addressed in one of the series of COLA bills for this year. I think it is bill No 2.
I was amazed to read in John Thistleton’s article in the Canberra Times of 17 February this year that Mr Barr suggested that bonuses should be paid to builders in the ACT who actually do the right thing in building their buildings.
Mr Barr: Put an award up each year.
MS LE COUTEUR: An award?
Mr Barr: An award, not pay them money.
MS LE COUTEUR: An award for an exemplary building does sound like a good idea. But it was reported, unfortunately, that we had reached the stage where the minister felt that we had to give bonuses to people who actually fulfilled the current requirements. I must say that I was deeply dismayed to read that this was the level that the industry had got to. But I am very pleased to find that this is merely an example of incorrect reporting.
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