Real Estate

NEW POLICY TO DRIVE DOWN ENERGY COSTS & BUILD BETTER HOMES

A new nation-leading policy to help NSW reach net zero emission targets and deliver more comfortable and energy-effcient homes and buildings has been released today.

Treasurer and Minister for Energy Matt Kean said this new Sustainable Buildings State Environmental Planning Policy sets new standards and is expected to reduce household energy bills, and ensure homes are naturally cooler in summer and warmer in winter. “These new standards will drive more energy-effcient homes from Bondi to Broken Hill and beyond, with better design, better insulation and more sunlight,” Mr Kean said. “People living in new high-rise apartments in suburban Sydney will save up to $150 a year, new Western Sydney homeowners will see a reduction of $720 a year, and our regional communities as much as $970 a year. “NSW is also raising the bar with this frst-of-its-kind policy in energy effciency and sustainability for new offces and hotels. These updated standards will keep operating costs down for owners and tenants, and give them the assurance they got what they paid for. “The policy will enable the NSW Government to collect critical data about building performance and greenhouse gas emissions. This will inform future benchmarks and ensure NSW keeps pace with the national trajectory for low-energy buildings.”

Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the new SEPP sets standards for energy, water and thermal performance in new homes, and establishes provisions to create more sustainable nonresidential buildings. “We recognise the importance of good design and sustainability in planning, that’s why we are progressing updates to our online Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) tool and introducing sustainability requirements for new commercial buildings,” Mr Roberts said.

“We need to ensure the places we live, work and stay in are more comfortable – all while we save people money on their power bills and contribute to our net zero target.” Mr Roberts said the policy incorporates increased energy and thermal performance standards, and the introduction of a new index within BASIX to measure the greenhouse gas emissions produced in manufacturing residential building materials.

“It also introduces new energy and water standards for large commercial buildings, and requires these developments to demonstrate they are net-zero ready,” he said. “We want to drive down emissions, saving around 260,000 tonnes a year of CO2 and helping reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

For more information, visit:

www.planning.nsw.gov.au/ sustainable-buildings-sepp INVESTMENT TO UNLOCK MORE NEW HOUSING

The construction of tens of thousands of homes can now be accelerated across regional NSW, thanks to nearly $30 million in funding. The Department of Planning and Environment’s Executive Director of Housing Supply and Infrastructure Monica Gibson said the investment from the Regional Housing Fund, will help deliver the public space and infrastructure needed to support thriving communities. “We are helping 21 high-growth regional councils deliver 25 new projects that will provide services, open space and connections to fasttrack a pipeline of new homes,” Ms Gibson said. “The $1.4 million infrastructure investment is an incentive for the council doing the planning work necessary to implement the Regional Housing Taskforce’s recommendations locally and fast-track the delivery of

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new housing in its region. “Half of the funding will be given upfront, while the remainder will be delivered if strategic planning initiative milestones have been met, such as updating housing policies and local and affordable housing strategies.” Ms Gibson said the Government is focused on getting homes built, with the right infrastructure in place from the get-go. “This funding will help accelerate infrastructure and open space projects that will directly support more than 46,000 new homes where they’re needed in regional NSW,” she said. “The strategic work needed to be done to receive this funding could pave the way for more than 113,000 new homes across these local government areas by 2040.” Strategic planning milestones must be met by 31 December 2022 or 31 March 2023 to qualify for the second phase of funding, with nominated infrastructure projects to be completed by 31 December 2023. Projects to beneft from the Regional

Housing Fund include:

• A new playground for kids aged 11 and up, to support almost 5,000 homes in Ballina; • A mountain bike park to support around 4,800 homes in Singleton; • A sewerage pump station to service 1,300 homes at Old Bar on the MidCoast; and • A new cycleway and pathway connecting the missing link between Mitchell Highway at Windradyne to the existing Kath Knowles Walkway, supporting 204 new homes in Bathurst. This program supports the Government’s response to the Regional Housing Taskforce recommendations and the launch of round three of the Accelerated Infrastructure Fund. For more information on the Regional Housing Fund, visit www.planning. nsw.gov.au/regional-housing-fund