Australian Federal Government

ICANZ is active in providing information and offering support in the development of measures  to improve the energy efficiency of Australian Buildings.

The Commonwealth Government’s Securing Australia’s Energy Future White Paper on energy policy, was released in June 2000. The document states that Improving Australia’s energy efficiency performance is a key part of the government’s plans to deliver prosperity and sustainability from energy.

According to the White Paper, increasing the uptake of commercially attractive energy efficiency opportunities would deliver substantial economic and environmental benefits. Estimates complied for the National Framework for Energy Efficiency (NFEE) process show that implementing half of all energy efficiency opportunities with a payback of four years or less could, if commercial, increase GDP by $975 million a year and reduce greenhouse emissions by around 10 million tonnes a year. This compares with projected GDP benefits of $630 million a year from reforms in the energy market to encourage better demand management from energy users.

Garnaut Climate Change Review

During 2008 ICANZ made a detailed submission to the Garnaut Climate Change Review following the release of the Interim Report. ICANZ shared the view that Australia’s interests are best served by a strong global position on greenhouse mitigation. ICANZ endorsed the need for an Emissions Trading Scheme and supported measures by government to eliminate market failures combined with assistance for the less well off.

ICANZ presented extensive evidence to show the contribution made by insulation in improving energy efficiency and reducing the need for energy, thereby insulating us from price increases and buying time to plan for clean energy and developing more cost effective technologies.

Productivity Commission

Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency with specific focus on the Building Industry

In the Commonwealth Government’s Securing Australia’s Energy Future White Paper on energy policy, the Government foreshadowed a Productivity Commission Inquiry into the economic and environmental potential of energy efficiency.

A major study by the Allen Consulting Group titled 'The Energy Efficiency Gap: market failures and policy options' prepared for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Australasian Energy Performance Contracting Association, Australian Glass and Glazing Association and the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand in November 2004 was submitted to that inquiry.

The Productivity Commission's draft report was of some concern to those promoting energy efficiency. ICANZ response to the draft report is contained in the following documents:

Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)

In May 2006 the new Building Code of Australia will incorporate 5 Star energy efficiency regulations. ICANZ made detailed submissions to the ACBC concerning 5 Star Energy Efficiency Regulations for residential buildings and improved energy efficiency in commercial buildings. These submissions illustrate the value of improved energy efficiency requirments with particular focus on insulation.


Residential Buildings

Commercial Buildings

A comparison of insulation levels under 5-Star to similar climate  zones in the USA show that Australia still has a long way to go to achieve minimum energy efficiency to the levels required in countries with similar climates.