THE Green Building Council of Australia has bowed to pressure from the Federal Government and the national forestry union to adopt an industry-backed certification scheme for sustainable timber.
The deal was brokered between federal Forestry Minister Tony Burke and the council in meetings last week, and will be announced today.
It means the Australian Forestry Standard for sustainable timber will now be considered as part of ''green star'' ratings of new buildings for environmental impact and energy use.
The council had previously considered only the stricter and internationally recognised Forestry Stewardship Council certification scheme for sustainable timber but has come under immense pressure from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union and state and federal forestry ministers in recent months to relax its standards.
Environmentalists say the Australian standard is less environmentally credible than the internationally recognised Stewardship Council scheme, because it certifies 90 per cent of all timber chopped down in Australia as sustainable.
Currently, the Forestry Stewardship Council certifies only 5 per cent of the world's timber as being harvested in a sustainable manner. The Green Building Council's chief executive, Romilly Madew, said yesterday that the council would now consider timber with any sustainability certification from the start of 2010 and include it in green-star ratings for new buildings if it met five general criteria.
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Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, 2009-11-29, Link
Showing posts with label Romilly Madew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romilly Madew. Show all posts
2009-11-29
Green buildings not expensive, Wollongong told
The CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia has told a business luncheon in Wollongong sustainable buildings do not have to cost more.
Romilly Madew says Wollongong with its Green Jobs Action Plan is well-placed to be a hub for green buildings.
She says there is a misconception about the cost of green homes and green offices.
Ms Madew says it is possible to get cost savings up front and there are also long-term benefits.
"Look at those products that give you the big wins quickly: that's things like insulation and making sure that your building is facing the right way and that you are getting cross ventilation," she said.
"So if you can do some really simple things, some passive design things, that's not going to cost more."
Ms Madew says working on existing buildings is a faster and less-expensive option.
"The 98 per cent of the old buildings out there, they're the ones we need to work on, which is why the Illawarra plan is so crucial," she said.
"It's giving the skills to the industry to retrofit those buildings, whether they are the homes or the offices."
Source: ABC.net, 2009-11-26, Link
Romilly Madew says Wollongong with its Green Jobs Action Plan is well-placed to be a hub for green buildings.
She says there is a misconception about the cost of green homes and green offices.
Ms Madew says it is possible to get cost savings up front and there are also long-term benefits.
"Look at those products that give you the big wins quickly: that's things like insulation and making sure that your building is facing the right way and that you are getting cross ventilation," she said.
"So if you can do some really simple things, some passive design things, that's not going to cost more."
Ms Madew says working on existing buildings is a faster and less-expensive option.
"The 98 per cent of the old buildings out there, they're the ones we need to work on, which is why the Illawarra plan is so crucial," she said.
"It's giving the skills to the industry to retrofit those buildings, whether they are the homes or the offices."
Source: ABC.net, 2009-11-26, Link
2009-10-11
Australia Ethical Investment Opens Property Trust
Australian Ethical Investment has launched a new property trust, a fund that invests in energy efficient buildings with a minimum 5-Star Green Star rating.
The trust, which was launched by Caroline Le Couteur, Greens MLA in Canberra, aims to provide long-term capital growth and a moderate income stream.
It attempts to provide 3 per cent returns above the annual consumer price index (CPI) over five year periods. Robert Sharf is the portfolio manager of the Property Trust.
The trust was launched at 64 Allara Street building, a 5 Star Green Star building, that is the first asset of the trust.
"A range of independent studies has confirmed that green building practices improve an asset's value by securing tenants more quickly, commanding higher rents or prices, enjoying lower tenant turnover and costing less to operate and maintain," said Romilly Madew, chief executive at Green Building Council of Australia.
"Investors wanting to do the right thing by the environment will also do the right thing financially."
Source: Financial Standard, 2009-10-09, Link
The trust, which was launched by Caroline Le Couteur, Greens MLA in Canberra, aims to provide long-term capital growth and a moderate income stream.
It attempts to provide 3 per cent returns above the annual consumer price index (CPI) over five year periods. Robert Sharf is the portfolio manager of the Property Trust.
The trust was launched at 64 Allara Street building, a 5 Star Green Star building, that is the first asset of the trust.
"A range of independent studies has confirmed that green building practices improve an asset's value by securing tenants more quickly, commanding higher rents or prices, enjoying lower tenant turnover and costing less to operate and maintain," said Romilly Madew, chief executive at Green Building Council of Australia.
"Investors wanting to do the right thing by the environment will also do the right thing financially."
Source: Financial Standard, 2009-10-09, Link
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