IN THE KNOW —
Reducing emissions in the building and construction sector The building and construction sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand. This comes from the production of building materials, the construction process, and the energy used once the structure is built. Some estimates say around 20% of all emissions (including imported materials) are a result of constructing and operating buildings. New Zealand has committed to having net zero emissions by 2050. If we’re to reach this ambitious goal, the building and construction sector must play its part, and changes will need to be made to how we currently design, build and operate buildings. There will need to be major changes. The way the building and construction sector currently operates will need to shift. The attitudes and beliefs of those who are making the dayto-day decisions will need to change, and mind-sets of the consumers who drive the market will also need to adjust.
The benefits for New Zealanders
The Building for Climate Change programme has been set up to lead these changes. The programme is focussed on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from both constructing and operating buildings.
In the long-term the programme will provide meaningful benefits for New Zealanders. The proposed changes will make sure New Zealand’s 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.
This work will not just be a series of quick fixes but a ‘once in a generation’ system change to help deliver the climate outcomes New Zealand, and the world, is asking for. We’re starting the conversation around ‘how’ the changes should be made, and we’ll consult on our ideas as our thinking is developed further.
What’s next
While this won’t be easy, it will be worth it.
Taking Action The Building for Climate Change programme has committed to two broad areas of action to support the path to low emissions. The first area is mitigation. This will look at improving the operational efficiency of buildings, by reducing the amount of energy and water buildings use, and improving ventilation and comfort. These improved efficiencies will, in turn, lead to lower emissions. As part of the mitigation strategy, the programme will also look at.
A public consultation to start the conversation on the frameworks to support the mitigation strategy just recently closed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your feedback with us. We will soon be publishing a summary of submissions on our website. Most of the rest of this year will be spent consulting with the sector, and the people that would be impacted by these changes, to make sure we get this right. While we would like to move as quickly as we can, as we take these steps we need to carefully consider the costs they’ll have for New Zealanders – especially in this COVID-19 world. Consultation on the first proposed changes to the Building Code will likely take place in March 2021. If those changes are agreed upon, they will come into effect in late 2021.
The second area of action 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 what happens to the building when it’s at the end of its life.
In the meantime, if you’d like to stay involved, register to receive updates on our website www.building.govt.nz
As part of these plans, a series of targets will be 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.
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.
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