Question On Notice No. 2614 asked in the Legislative Council on 24 October 2019 by Hon Tim Clifford
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Housing
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the Liveable towns and cities section of the Climate Change In Western Australia Issues Paper, specifically the inefficiency of Western Australia's building stock, and I ask:
(a) what is the energy efficiency rating of all community and state housing owned, part-owned, or managed by the State Government and will the Minister please table it;
(b) what is the proposed energy efficiency rating for all community and state housing owned, part-owned, or managed by the State Government proposed in the next five financial years; and
(c) what is the State Government doing to ensure better efficiency standards for all new buildings, including private and government owned?
Answered on 28 November 2019
(a) The Department of Communities (Communities) constructs all dwellings in accordance with the applicable building standards and regulations. Communities currently owns and manages 51,620
properties and part-owns (through Shared Equity) 4,904 properties. Of these, 20,694 properties have the minimum 5 and 6-star rating and were built after 2003.
Communities does not have energy efficiency data for any dwelling constructed prior to the 2003 Building Code of Australia (BCA) amendment to introduce energy efficiency requirements.
Energy efficiency provisions were first introduced into the BCA in 2003 (single and grouped housing) and 2006 (apartments). Prior to that, there were no specific provisions or requirements relating to energy
efficiency. The predecessor to the BCA, the Uniform Building By-laws, also did not contain any requirements relating to energy efficiency.
In 2010, the minimum standard required in the BCA for energy efficiency in residential buildings was increased from 5 to 6 Star (or equivalent) rating assessed under the Nationwide Home Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS).
|
|
Rental Stock
|
Shared Equity
|
Total
|
|
Minimum 5 Star rating - (Dwellings that were constructed between 2003 – 2010)
|
8,775
|
-
|
8,775
|
|
Minimum 6 Star rating - (Dwellings that were constructed since 2010)
|
10,259
|
1,660
|
11,919
|
|
Total
|
19,034
|
1,660
|
20,694
|
(b) All Communities’ properties constructed over the next five financial years will be certified and meet the minimum standard of 6-star energy efficiency rating required in the BCA for energy efficiency in
residential buildings.
If the BCA energy efficiency provisions are enhanced or modified, Communities will comply with the new standards as required.
Any housing acquired by Communities that was constructed from 2003 onwards meets the minimum 5 and 6-star energy efficiency rating, dependent on date of construction.
Communities has no specific plans to retrospectively upgrade the energy efficiency of any existing housing stock, noting that the cost of such upgrades can be cost-prohibitive or practically impossible.
(c) This part of the question should be referred to the Minister for Commerce.