Buyers pay more for a home they know has a good energy rating. That’s worth an extra 2.4-9.4% in the only part of Australia where energy ratings must be disclosed at the time of sale.
Making better use of existing building space is a neglected but essential way to cut our carbon emissions. The key is human behaviour. Good low-carbon citizens will help create good low-carbon cities.
The United Nations is calling on world governments to step up action against climate change. Can China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, fulfill its pledges?
The research has been done. The evidence is in. We know how to create cities that are sustainable, liveable and affordable. But we have yet to apply that knowledge widely across Australian cities.
Australia requires a minimum six-star energy rating for new housing. New homes average just 6.2 stars, so builders are doing the bare minimum to comply, even as the costs of this approach are rising.
Fires and building failures highlighted serious gaps in Australian building regulations. But recent revisions and recommendations still fall short of preparing our buildings for climate change.
Rail advocates often make the case that trains are a cleaner mode of transportation, but why is that so? And what would it take to expand rail in the U.S.?
People who use an appliance a lot save more from an energy efficient model. With the right app, they could easily get a sense of their own potential savings when they shop.
In the wake of the Paris Climate Agreement, France has committed to cutting achieving carbon neutrality for its building stock by 2050. While the goal is ambitious, the challenges are significant.
Ee Ling Ng, The University of Melbourne; Deli Chen, The University of Melbourne, and Xia Liang, The University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is the first institution in Australia to have its nitrogen footprint calculated – it’s 139 tonnes per year, mainly because of food production, energy use and transport.
Since the federal government started setting fuel economy standards, US-built cars have doubled their fuel efficiency, saving money for consumers and reducing pollution.