JOBS NEWS: The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has a new president in Tanya Cox, who has taken over from Ken Maher who is leaving the company after seven years in the role.
She’s a sustainability champion in the built environment space, having chaired the World Green Building Council and member of the NSW Climate Change Council, and currently is a non-executive director of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA),Niche Environment and Heritage, Fender Katsalidis, and Campus Living Villages.
This comes as the organisation released a report finding that 100 per cent electrification would save $49 billion and 199 megatonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (before offsets) between 2024 and 2050 over business-as-usual electrification, gas and offsets.
Unlocking the pathway: Why electrification is the key to net zero buildings, found that electrification is the fastest, most cost effective emissions reduction pathway for Australia’s built environment.
Cox stated: “Supporting the transition to an integrated, sustainable and climate resilient built environment, strengthening regulations and ensuring all Australians have healthy and comfortable homes, offices and buildings are big challenges.”
Ken Morrison, chair of ASBEC’s Net Zero Buildings Task Group and chief executive of the Property Council of Australia said of the report: “Electrification is the least-cost option to drive down emissions, but it is not a no cost option. The built environment must electrify, and public policy can smooth the pathway so this happens at speed.”
New board member for GBCA
And at the Green Building Council of Australia, Frasers Property Australia chief executive Anthony Boyd has been appointed to the board of directors. It is due to the history of working together, which will now progress into knowledge sharing to drive change.
Mr Boyd said: “The GBCA’s impact on the Australian built environment has been profound. By providing connections and facilitating knowledge sharing, the GBCA ensures innovations and initiatives from members are amplified and shared across a range of businesses quickly and effectively.
“This elevates minimum standards and collectively lifts the whole industry, especially given the willingness among members to be open and transparent in sharing ideas and practical applications for the greater good.”
Talina Edwards merges with Envirotecture
Melbourne based Talina Edwards Architecture has joined sustainable building designer Envirotecture as a director to help the Sydney company expand its practice south to leverage both companies emerging sustainability leadership. The combined team is now 12.
Talina Edwards and Envirotecture were recently named as Queensland state winners in the Design Matters National True Zero Carbon Challenge 2022 for their “Little Pot of Gold” home.