As we hunker down and wrap up warm, on the other side of the world there’s an alarming reminder of the urgent need for climate action. In the past days and weeks, communities worldwide have mourned lives lost to extreme temperatures – More than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month dozens of election poll workers died of heatstroke in India in the midst of sweltering temperatures. Athletes and spectators are preparing for the risks of heat at the upcoming Olympics in Paris- expected to be the hottest Games on record, with leading athletes warning the intense heat forecast could lead to participants collapsing, or worse. A glance at any international news outlet provides a stark reminder of the escalating human toll of global warming.
As alarm bells ring, it’s imperative that we’re preparing for a planet increasingly beset by extremes. Alongside stronger emissions reductions, we need to be investing in resilient infrastructure, and community preparedness. We need communities and buildings equipped to deal with our climate, while also mitigating the emissions fueling further climate change.
A major gap in New Zealand’s efforts is our failure to model performance and emissions, contributing to homes prone to overheating or too cold. There’s starting to be a shift, and I’m proud to share that our Energy and Carbon Calculator for Homes (ECCHO) tool has been used over 10,000 times to model the performance of home designs. When homes are modelled with ECCHO or other tools, there is often an indicator which highlights if the home will overheat, and allows designers to make amendments to the design of the home to occupants are comfortable and not sweltering through the summer – a real health risk for vulnerable people such as the unwell, infants or the elderly. To gain advice in a workshop format keep an eye out for our next Keeping Cool Masterclass or upcoming Climate Resilience Masterclass.
While uptake from our community is hugely promising, the gaps in our regulatory system must be filled. We expect the Government’s next Emissions Reduction Plan imminently and it’s vital it includes ambitious levers for decarbonising our sector and lifting performance of homes and buildings. Today we wrote to government alongside over 50 industry organisations and business calling for vital policies to be included.
One of the best levers for carbon-busting buildings is measuring and transparently reporting performance. Australia's recent updates to the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program mark another step forward for our mates across the ditch, helping further bolster the energy efficiency transformation in their commercial properties through NABERS. The changes out for consultation include expanding the mandatory disclosure of energy use to a wider range of commercial buildings, including hotels, shopping centres, data centres, hospitals, and other non-residential facilities.
You’ll have a chance to hear from our friends at NABERS at our upcoming Green Property Summit on 14th August. The latest update furthers the distance between Australia and New Zealand's efforts, with our regulations increasingly lagging behind despite the industry being ready and willing to get on board. There's a clear case for us to up our game.
Efficiency reporting and incentivising sustainable building would not only enhance our emissions efforts and save Kiwi businesses money through lower operating costs, but take pressure off our struggling grid and help embed efficiency into the nation's psyche. If we're ever to lead by example in sustainability, the heat is on to catch up and get on with it.