Energy smart buildings could save Sydney CBD from spiralling greenhouse emissions

Thursday, 02 September 1999 10:00

Jeff Angel from Total Environment Centre said, "This welcome program provides a clear alternative to spiralling electricity consumption in the CBD and plans by Energy Australia and Transgrid to increase greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million tonnes per year".

The state's largest retailer, Energy Australia has become one of the first beneficiaries of SEDA's Star Building Greenhouse Rating Scheme. It has enabled Energy Australia to halve electricity consumption in their corporate headquarters. Other prominent CBD buildings like Darling Park and Town Towers have also achieved spectacular energy reductions.

Yet these results are in stark contrast to plans by Energy Australia and Transgird to expand electricity capacity into the Sydney CBD.

"Proposals to expand infrastructure in the next few years, building more cables between the CBD and coal-fired power stations in the Hunter Valley, cannot be justified" said Mr Angel.
"This program provides demonstrable evidence that demand management is a cost effective alternative" he said. "Judicious application of SEDA's new program could reduce CBD energy consumption by 20%-40% over the next 5 years."

Yet Energy Australia and Transgrid have consistently denied the potential of energy efficiency to match growing demand.

"If Energy Australia can reduce their own electricity consumption by 50%, why can't other CBD buildings?" said Mr Angel. Electricity customers are about to start asking, if "Energy Australia can reduce their own power bills by such a significant margin, why aren't they doing more to help the rest of us do the same" he said.