Building a greener future for all

Following the news of the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, one thing is clear – we must all act now to stop the earth from reaching irreversible temperatures. Our response must be visionary, we must act now for the long-term, and we must ensure the transformation is coordinated and equitable for all.

The building and construction sector is responsible for about 15 per cent of our country’s total emissions. This comes from the production and transport of building materials, the construction process, and the energy used once the home or building is built. We are also responsible for approximately 50 per cent of all waste to landfill.

If we are serious about mitigating the effects of climate change and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the building and construction sector must be a core pillar in New Zealand’s response.

Together, we have the power to significantly reduce emissions and slow the rate of climate change, and while ensuring our homes and buildings are warm, dry, healthy and resilient to the effects of the changing climate. The government’s Building for Climate Change programme will play a key role in helping us realise this opportunity.

How we will do it

The goal of the Building for Climate Change programme is to reduce emissions from constructing, operating and deconstructing buildings, and to make sure our buildings are prepared for the future effects of climate change. Through the Building for Climate Change programme, we will set targets for energy and water use and embodied carbon, as well as look at ways to encourage innovative thinking about designing, building and operating buildings. We have committed to three broad areas of action to support the path to low emissions. Reducing operational carbon The first area is transforming the operational efficiency of buildings by reducing the amount of energy and water buildings use, and improving ventilation and comfort. Reducing embodied carbon The second area the programme is focussed on is reducing embodied carbon emissions across a building’s whole life cycle – from the production of building materials, all the way through to construction waste and what happens to the building when it’s at the end of its life. Improving climate resilience The third area is looking at how buildings adapt to extreme weather events which are expected to occur more frequently as a result of climate change. We will focus on two key principles: not building in areas where climate change hazards are likely (e.g. subject to flooding); and ensuring design standards take into account our future climate (e.g. wind pressures and rainfall intensity). As part of the programme, a series of performance-based emissions targets are being developed that the sector will have to keep under while they are designing and building. There will be a plan for tightening these targets over time to drive ongoing emissions reductions and innovation in design and construction. The proposed changes will make sure New Zealand’s homes and buildings are using as little energy and water as practical, and that they are warmer, drier and better ventilated. This means more money in people’s pockets due to lower energy bills, and healthier places for us all to work and live.

We need your help

Success will require us to shift the way we think and operate across the entire sector; Government will also need to change and adapt its approach to lead the way, and to ensure the transition to a lower-emissions future is equitable. We know these changes, and the goal of the programme, will not be easy to achieve, however we need everyone across the sector to be on board – it will be worth it to secure a future for the next generations of New Zealanders. We encourage you to start thinking about ways for you to reduce emissions from building and construction activities from today. Be a part of the journey.

You can find more information about this on the Building Performance site: https://www.building.govt.nz/gettingstarted/building-for-climate-change/

Patrick Lindsay, Principal Policy Advisor, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. MBIE is the over-arching regulator of New Zealand’s building system. Our Building System Performance (BSP) branch provides policy and technical advice on New Zealand’s building system, rules and standards, and implements building legislation and regulations to meet New Zealand’s current and future needs.