News

8 November 2010 -

Caroline to address British Consulate-General breakfast

Back in 2006, the UK government committed that all new homes built from 2016 will be zero emission with staggered targets along the way. Rather than regulation being dictated by what the industry lobbyists thought was achievable, the government then took a bold step in setting out ambitious targets for the future, but at the same time gave the construction industry the time and incentive to invest in meeting these requirements.

Allan Proctor, who has been at the heart of the energy efficiency debate since joining the A Proctor Group , will look back at the long and winding road taken in the UK to reach this point  and will report on how the industry is rising to the challenge to provide affordable zero energy buildings.

The UK since the 1980s has been through its fair share of well meaning but failed grants and incentives, problematic loft insulation programmes, fly by night insulation contractors and poor workmanship. There was also a long history of "industry self regulation"  when short term profits of developers trumped the longer term interests of building owners and tenants who are left facing huge bills to heat, cool and maintain the existing building stock.

Allan will also discuss the next major challenge of how the energy efficiency of the older building stock, built prior to regulation, is being addressed and how energy providers through the introduction of carbon emissions reduction targets are now funding this activity.

Caroline will present the position that Australia find's itself in, and the direction she thinks we should be taking.