Building and precincts to go carbon neutral

PRESS RELEASE

The Turnbull Government today launched the National Carbon Offset Standard for buildings and precincts, expanding a successful voluntary program which has allowed organisations, products and services to become carbon neutral through reducing and offsetting their emissions.

Already 49 different organisations across Australia have chosen to go carbon neutral and been certified as achieving this Standard by the Government. Under the Standard, it is possible to fly carbon neutral and buy carbon neutral – now it will be possible to live and work carbon neutral.

Expanding the standard to the property sector has been done in close partnership with the Green Building Council of Australia and National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) Administrator. It will allow certification to be achieved through Green Star and NABERS rating processes and minimise costs for participants.

The new building and precincts categories complement the incredible advances that we have already seen in the property sector, especially in energy efficiency measures which make for more comfortable building environments, more liveable cities and reduced running costs.

The National Carbon Offset Standard supports cities, councils and a broad range of businesses to better manage their emissions and become certified as carbon neutral. It can be used to measure, reduce, offset, report and audit emissions.

More than seven million tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road for a year, have been offset thanks to voluntary carbon neutral certifications to date.

With a potential lifespan of over 50 years, buildings and precincts play a critical role in Australia’s transition to a lower emissions future.