Green energy push puts pressure on Queensland construction

The Commercial Buildings Baseline Study has found that commercial buildings are responsible for over 12 per cent of energy consumption worldwide and 26 per cent of Australia’s national energy consumption, leading to pressure from buyers, investors and environmental groups to make the construction industry more sustainable.
Australia in general has seen a lot more policies help push this shift towards renewable energy along, with Sydney’s Barangaroo and ClearVue, a form of glass panels that produce solar energy, at the forefront of the movement.
ClearVue is already proving popular in new developments, as it has the ability to provide a four bedroom home with half its annual energy supply, but there is further demand for innovation in all aspects of the construction industry. Concerns have been raised about costs involved so anyone looking to take up the challenge should keep that in mind, while also trying to develop something that pays for itself relatively quickly.
In line with the increase interest in a building’s carbon footprint, the Green Building Council has developed a Green Star Rating to help investors and potential buyers make informed decisions.
The council has already awarded two dozen Queensland buildings with the highest possible rating, which shows that it is possible to achieve and that there is enough interest from buyers to take up the opportunity of reducing their own individual carbon footprint.
Company owners are willing to pay a premium to base their businesses in an office environment that is green, with early statistics showing that buildings with a high green rating report experience a 23 per cent occupancy increase.
Construction companies looking to engage more green technology should be looking to hire talent in the field, invest in training and always be looking forward to take on new ideas, staff and green technologies to continue to adapt with this growing sector within the industry.