MCE
In August 2004, the Ministerial Council on Energy (MCE) announced a package of policy measures which constituted the National Framework for Energy Efficiency (NFEE) Stage One.
Key elements of the measures for residential and commercial buildings were:
nationally consistent minimum standards adopted and enhanced over time with nationally consistent 5-star standards for all homes and appropriate standards for commercial buildings adopted in all jurisdictions
agreed method(s) for measuring buildings energy performance on a “like-with-like” basis with a nationally consistent legislated regime for mandatory disclosure of energy performance of residential and commercial buildings.
In December 2007 the MCE agreed to a package of new energy efficiency measures for delivery under NFEE Stage Two and the continuation of a number of Stage One measures. Continued building measures included the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) and mandatory disclosure of energy performance of residential and commercial buildings (subject to Regulatory Impact Statements).
A Buildings Implementation Committee (previously known as the National Buildings Group) consisting of Commonwealth and State and Territory representatives is responsible for implementing the residential and commercial buildings measures.
On 30 April 2009, COAG also agreed to measures to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings across Australia. These measures will form part of a National Strategy on Energy Efficiency (weblink) The building measures approved by COAG included, subject to regulatory impact assessment requirements, the phase-in of mandatory disclosure of the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and tenancies commencing in 2010; and the phase-in of mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance at the time of sale or lease, commencing with energy efficiency by May 2011.
The objectives of mandatory disclosure of energy performance of residential and commercial buildings are to support moves towards energy efficiency by:
overcoming the information failure that causes opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of residential or commercial buildings to be overlooked
measuring building energy performance on a “like-with-like” basis
requiring disclosure of a building’s energy performance to prospective tenants and purchasers
encouraging energy efficiency improvements.
The overall objectives of the Buildings Implementation Committee are to develop and implement:
policy for the mandatory disclosure of measurable building energy and sustainability performance to prospective tenants and purchasers
appropriate software tools to rate the energy performance of buildings
suitable assessment systems to support mandatory disclosure schemes.