THE BUILDING Code of Australia needs to be amended to support a minimum six-star energy efficiency standard for new homes, industry experts say.
Advocates are pushing the government to mandate higher energy efficiency standards to promote sustainability and benefit the environment.
The six-star rating is influenced by efficient heating and cooling of buildings, including their use of insulation, air-conditioning and window placement.
The six-star rating has already been mandated in Queensland, and will be implemented via State building codes by 2010.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is pressing the federal government to go one step further and implement the ratings on a national level.
The GBCA said the move will make houses greener and less reliant on coal-fired power stations.
Dennis Loudoun, president of the Australian Glass & Glazing Association, said the government needs to move quickly to implement the increased standard.
He said the energy efficiency of Australian homes is poor among the developed world and the move to six-star is a step that Australia needs to take.
The higher rating is expected to cost an extra one per cent of the total building costs, which is quickly recouped through lower energy bills, according to Loudoun.
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