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The case for electrifying new and existing buildings

OpEd – Taryn Cornell (Senior Manager – Green Star Strategy and Development, Green Building Council Australia)

Burning fossil fuels has been the go-to solution for heat generation and cooking since the industrial revolution, with natural gas boilers and cookers at the pinnacle of this old technology in buildings.

But we are seeing a new revolution unfold, with clean energy addressing the challenges of health, climate change, air quality and energy affordability. Electrifying buildings is part of this revolution and the technologies to make it happen exist and are being used today, in new and existing buildings.

Here’s why more buildings are electrifying:

Climate change: all-electric buildings powered by renewables are the preferred pathway to decarbonise our built environment. Removing fossil fuels reduces climate change impacts and electrification enables buildings to be fully powered by renewables.

Investor benefits: Assets on a clear decarbonisation pathway are in high demand. All-electric buildings using renewable energy can also access sustainable finance, potentially at lower interest rates.

Resilience and risk reduction: as we decarbonise the economy, the need to retrofit assets and remove equipment using fossil fuels will become more important. An all-electric building is a step ahead and a valuable, future-ready asset.

Health: Cooking with natural gas in buildings generates toxic air pollutants, increasing asthma and exacerbating respiratory illnesses. All-electric services eliminate pollutants and boost indoor air quality.

Tenant and consumer preferences: Natural gas and fossil fuels are incompatible with net zero targets of and do not meet the health and environmental expectations of today’s consumers and tenants.

Ready to electrify your asset? See how at gbca.org.au

by Taryn Cornell (Senior Manager – Green Star Strategy and Development, Green Building Council Australia)

contact information

Green Building Council of Australia
Barangaroo Tower 2, Level 31
Barangaroo NSW 2000

www.gbca.org.au

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