Architects have come out in force to call for practical measures to drive a decarbonised future in the built environment.
This includes that the National Construction Code mandates measurement of embodied carbon in accordance with NABERS, that buildings are “all-electric, highly efficient, grid-interactive,” and that upfront carbon is reduced by 40 per cent by 2030.
There’s also a challenge for governments to lead the way by mandating that their own buildings also have much higher sustainability ambitions. (In the past, assertive action by governments has been hailed as creating the tipping points for better outcomes, such as the development of the green building industry.)
The Australian Institute of Architects announced the strategy through its Decarbonisation Plan 2025-2050, launched at the Sydney Opera House during its recent national conference.
Caroline Pidcock and Stefan Preuss, co-chairs of the institute’s national climate action and sustainability committee, said this was a “critical turning point for the industry.”
“This is a moment of responsibility and opportunity,” Preuss said. “The building and construction sector accounts for over one-quarter of Australia’s carbon emissions. With the right leadership, design, and regulation, we can bring that to zero – and create better, healthier places in the process.”
Pidcock said: “We’re calling on all levels of government to work with architects, engineers, and planners to future-proof our cities and buildings.
“We need stronger national policy that supports innovation, upskills the workforce, and embeds sustainability at every stage of the built environment lifecycle.”
National president Jane Cassidy (profiled in our long form podcast How to Build a Better World) said Australia’s commitment and global pledges “simply aren’t enough to hit net-zero by 2050”.
She highlighted additional ambitions in the plan to call for:
- Funding NABERS and NatHERS to extend operational and embodied carbon ratings across all building types
- Investment in transforming skills, practices, and supply chains to keep pace with a rapidly evolving industry and maintain investment confidence.