Page 885 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 March 2019

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We agree wholeheartedly with the importance of high-performing buildings. Therefore, I commend my amendment to the Assembly. I move:

Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, and substitute:

“(1) notes that:

(a) this summer the ACT experienced record-breaking extreme heat, and this is likely to occur more frequently in future as a result of climate change;

(b) heatwaves are Australia’s deadliest type of natural hazard, with seniors and infants most at risk of death and serious injury; and

(2) notes that:

(a) temperatures inside apartments can become very hot during heatwaves;

(b) the design and construction of these apartments were covered by minimum energy efficiency standard, which most projects comply with by meeting a minimum energy efficiency rating:

(i) the energy efficiency rating is a general measure of efficiency over the year, rather than a measure of how a building performs in a particular season or extreme weather;

(ii) energy efficiency standards in the National Construction Code are developed under the Building Ministers Forum and the Nationwide House Energy Rating System is overseen by the COAG Energy Council, and there are some changes to the existing standards for 2019 and plans to significantly update the code and energy rating methods for the 2022 version of the code; and

(iii) current methods of assessing energy efficiency use average climate data, rather than extreme weather or future climate projections;

(3) notes that while the ACT will experience hotter summers, it will also continue to have relatively cold winters and building standards must address both seasons;

(4) notes that minimum energy efficiency standards should be supported by planning controls that enable well-designed buildings that occupants can operate as intended;

(5) notes that while good planning and building standards are important, they are only part of managing people’s health and safety in extreme weather;

(6) notes that the ACT Government is already taking action on heatwave safety and energy efficient housing including:

(a) the Government is reviewing the EER system and investigating minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties under the Greens/ALP Parliamentary Agreement;

(b) the Government will be adopting new standards in the 2019 National Construction Code that require any building using the energy efficiency rating pathways to also meet separate heating and cooling standards;

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