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The Fifth Estate

The Fifth Estate

Green buildings and sustainable cities – news and views

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Author Archives: Alan Pears, RMIT University

Alan Pears, AM, is one of Australia’s best-regarded sustainability experts. He is a senior industry fellow at RMIT University, advises a number of industry and community organisations and works as a consultant. He writes a column in each issue of Renew magazine: you can buy an e-book of Alan’s columns from 1997 to 2016 at shop.renew.org.au

Posted inHousing, Spinifex

Australia’s housing crisis: a path forward?

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 24 May 202224 May 2022
Posted inEnergy

What is a lumen, anyway?

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 31 March 20216 April 2021
Posted inSpinifex

What 2021 might have in store, and what we can learn from ants

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 15 January 202115 January 2021
girl cleaning snow off solar panel
Posted inSpinifex

Australia’s post-virus recovery, and the need for seasonal storage

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 28 September 202028 September 2020
Posted inEnergy

How Covid is changing the way we use energy

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 14 July 2020
Posted inSpinifex

Alan Pears: Submission on the federal government’s Technology Investment Roadmap

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 25 June 202025 June 2020
Posted inGovernment

Aquatic centres and heat pumps: Why they are a good match

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 28 May 202028 May 2020
Posted inArticles

Winning the “fossil fuel word game” and other priorities for the next decade

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 6 April 20207 April 2020
Alan Pears on the baby steps towards overcoming governance failures in the building sector
Posted inGovernment

Alan Pears on the baby steps towards overcoming governance failures in the building sector

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 8 October 2019
Australia’s wicked energy problem and creative ways to solve it
Posted inGovernment

Australia’s wicked energy problem and creative ways to solve it

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 18 January 201922 January 2019
neon bird in cage
Posted inGovernment

Alan Pears: Why propping up the current energy system is risky business

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 19 April 201826 April 2018
Vintage electric fan ( Filtered image processed vintage effect. )
Posted inSpinifex

Alan Pears: Summertime, and the living ain’t easy

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 28 September 2017
Posted inGovernment

Is Australia’s rock-throwing approach to energy policy ending?

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 12 July 201712 July 2017
Posted inGovernment

Gas crisis? Energy crisis? The real problem is lack of long-term planning

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 20 March 2017
Posted inEnergy

Alan Pears on Australia’s energy market mess

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 12 October 2016
Posted inEnergy

Alan Pears on Basslink blues and abatement buy-in

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 30 June 201630 June 2016
Posted inSpinifex

Alan Pears: How Victoria can become an Australian climate leader

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 14 June 2016
Posted inGovernment/Regulations

Alan Pears on creative climate policy paths

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 11 January 2016
Posted inGovernment/Regulations

Alan Pears on rapid changes in the energy policy landscape

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 23 September 201523 September 2015
Posted inSpinifex

Alan Pears on Australia’s energy policy debacle and reaching for the stars

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 1 July 20152 July 2015
Posted inSpinifex

Alan Pears on Australia's energy policy debacle and reaching for the stars

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 1 July 2015
Posted inEngineering/Technology

Energy storage is crucial, but it’s not the only piece in the puzzle

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 6 May 2015
Posted inEngineering/Technology

Energy storage is crucial, but it’s not the only piece in the puzzle

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 6 May 2015
Posted inEnvironment

Alan Pears: On the end, not the beginning, of an era for coal seam gas

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 11 February 201528 August 2017
Posted inHousing

Why do new energy-efficient houses need cooling?

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 16 December 201416 December 2014
Posted inGovernment/Regulations

Direct Action could deliver a useful outcome: carbon trading

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 4 November 20144 November 2014
Posted inSpinifex

Alan Pears: on the future global energy giants

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 24 September 2014
Posted inEnergy, Housing

Slash Australians’ power bills by beheading a duck at night

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 23 June 201423 June 2014
Posted inGovernment/Regulations

Billions axed in clean energy: renewable target is next

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 14 May 201414 May 2014
Posted inArticles

Alan Pears: on desperately seeking energy policy

by Alan Pears, RMIT University 12 December 201326 August 2014

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