Mark Vender
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has published a guide that presents a compelling case for moving away from gas in new buildings – and lays out a straightforward method for doing so.
Launched at the GBCA’s recent TRANSFORM conference, A Practical Guide to Electrification outlines the steps involved in delivering an all-electric new building and the types of technologies that can be used today to replace natural gas systems with electric solutions. It was developed in partnership with Cundall and supported by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and NSW government.
“Climate change, health and wellbeing, natural resource depletion, consumer preferences, investor demand – these are key issues that are impacting how we develop new buildings in our cities,” says the guide.
“A key challenge across all of them is how we move away from traditional solutions to deliver more sustainable and higher performing buildings.
“If we are to reduce GHG emissions due to the operation of buildings and meet net zero carbon goals, new buildings must be fossil fuel free, primarily by eliminating the use of natural gas.
“An all-electric building comes with many benefits – from easy access to renewable energy, to healthy spaces for occupants. As we move into a decarbonised world, all-electric buildings are future-proofed from having to be refurbished to eliminate outdated technologies. They have less risk of becoming stranded assets.”
According to the GBCA, the biggest barrier to electrification is not technical, it is to overcome an industry and consumer mindset that gas is more efficient than electric. But the case studies presented at TRANSFORM showed how this is changing.
Cbus Property CEO Adrian Pozzo said that all of Cbus’ apartments will be 100 per cent electric in response to what he called an “intergenerational” shift. Pozzo says the average age of the super fund’s members is 39, and they are looking for action on climate.
Electrification is also being built into ratings systems. To earn a 6 star Green Star rating, any new building or major refurbishment must be fossil fuel free. From 2023 this will also apply to 5 star buildings, and from 2026 to 4 star buildings.
Similarly, NABERS is introducing a Renewable Energy Indicator, which will disclose the amount of renewable energy used by a building. Only all-electric buildings running on 100 per cent renewables will achieve a 100 per cent score on NABERS’ indicator.
“All new buildings can be built to be all-electric today,” says the guide. “The technologies and desire exist. There is no reason not to build them.”
To read the guide, click here.
Image shows 5 Parramatta Square in Sydney, one of the case studies in the guide, planned to be all-electric.
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