National strategy for energy efficiency

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has reaffirmed its commitment to introducing a comprehensive National Strategy for Energy Efficiency and signed a memorandum of understanding for energy efficiency, with a commitment to consider signing an Intergovernmental Agreement on the National Strategy at its next meeting.

As well, it agreed on the design of a Renewable Energy Target Scheme to achieve a 20% share of renewables, or some 45,000 gigawatt-hours, in Australia’s electricity mix by 2020.

COAG agreed that the strategy’s scope would encompass: commercial buildings, residential buildings, appliances and equipment, industry and business, government, transport, skills, innovation, advice and education, and agreed in principle to developing a range of new measures in these areas.

The measures, which are subject to regulatory impact assessment requirements, involve:

• an increase in the stringency of energy-efficiency requirements for all classes of commercial buildings in the Building Code of Australia from 2010;
• the phase-in of mandatory disclosure of the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and tenancies commencing in 2010;
• an increase in energy-efficiency requirements for new residential buildings to six stars, or equivalent, nationally in the 2010 update of the Building Code of Australia, to be implemented by May 2011, as well as new efficiency requirements for hot-water systems and lighting;
• and the phase-in of mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance at the time of sale or lease, commencing with energy efficiency by May 2011.