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The Property Council of Australia (PCA) has lauded the release of a national agenda aimed at slashing energy bills and cutting building emissions.
PCA chief executive Ken Morrison has responded to the launch of the Australian government’s national energy performance strategy consultation paper, calling it “a critical and welcome milestone”.
He said: “Australians are facing skyrocketing energy bills and cost-of-living pressures, and policies that will reduce energy bills and slash emissions are a no-brainer.”
A commitment to cutting energy bills and building emissions was first announced at the 2022 Energy Efficiency Summit last month by Jenny McAllister, the Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy.
It’s set to drive “a long overdue focus on the efficient use of energy across Australian households, commercial and industrial businesses”.
The PCA has particularly welcomed the focus in the consultation paper on improving energy efficiency and performance within both residential homes and commercial buildings.
Mr Morrison acknowledged that Australia’s residential and commercial buildings currently account for a quarter of Australia’s emissions and around 50 per cent of Australia’s electricity consumption.
Making buildings far more energy-efficient, he said, would be a cheaper and faster way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adding that “as bills mount in the wake of surging global energy prices, and the climate change crisis worsens, the case for energy efficiency has never been stronger”.
The PCA also appreciates the opening of a discussion on energy market governance reforms — aimed at better balancing demand-side and supply-side initiatives.
According to the chief executive, “demand and supply need to be given equal billing in a two-way 21st century energy system”.
Mr Morrison suggested that “the electrification of our economy presents an enormous opportunity to remove the need for more expensive network infrastructure and investment through energy-efficient electric buildings that draw less from the grid to run appliances or charge EVs when renewables are cheap and plentiful”.
The government’s strategy also contemplates a national energy efficiency target, which the CEO also touted as “a welcome initiative.”
“An energy efficiency target needs to deliver all the electricity and gas savings already assumed — but not yet locked in — through AEMO’s Integrated System Plan, as well as targeting further cost-effective opportunities to cut bills and emissions,” he concluded.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Grace Ormsby
Grace is a journalist across Momentum property and investment brands. Grace joined Momentum Media in 2018, bringing with her a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) from the University of Newcastle. She’s passionate about delivering easy to digest information and content relevant to her key audiences and stakeholders.
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