AIRAH’s ACT Division Committee Chair Adam McIntosh, M.AIRAH, participated in a workshop with the ACT government to support the development of a 10-year Sustainable Buildings Pathway.

The Pathway will aim to articulate government vision, providing signposts to guide and help industry make the transition, and indicating the step-changes towards more sustainable choices throughout the building life-cycle.

Key topics of conversation included the need to upskill the workforce, to focus on existing buildings as well as new construction, and to incorporate principles of circularity into all parts of the sector.

McIntosh says the group was grateful for the practical perspectives AIRAH brought to the table.

“We need a multi-disciplinary approach to these issues,” says McIntosh. “Especially when it comes to concepts like sustainability and resilience, it’s important to have building experts to define what we really mean by these terms.

“The government representatives were also acutely aware of the current cost barriers, in both residential and commercial markets, for making these changes to a more sustainable and electric future.”

The Sustainable Buildings Pathway is expected to be released in the second half of 2024.