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