Task Groups
All members are invited to participate in ASBEC Task Groups.
Task groups in place are:
- Sustainable Built Environment Framework Task Group
- Resilience Strategy Task Group
- Cities and Regions Policy Task Group
- Proving Green Dividends Task Group
- Jobs and Skills Task Group
- Micro Power Task Group
- Sustainable Housing Task Group
- Excellence and Innovation Task Group
Sustainable Built Environment Framework Task Group
Task Group Chair – David Parken, CEO, Australian Institute of Architects
The Sustainable Built Environment Framework Task Group will consider relevant measurable performance targets with the aim of significantly improving the sustainability and productivity of the built environment. The Task Group will primarily focus on buildings and expand upon the work of the Second Plank Report to develop a policy framework with targets.
The Task Group will primarily focus on buildings and expand upon the work of the Second Plank Report to develop a policy framework with targets that encompasses Natural Capital, Economic Capital and Social Capital, with metrics around:
- Emissions and Energy
- Water
- Materials and Resources Waste
- Indoor Environmental Quality
- Financial Return
- Productivity
- Risk
- Liveability
- Human Capital
The Sustainable Built Environment Framework Task Group will work closely with the Micro Power and Sustainable Housing Task Groups, whose work will help inform the framework.
Resilience Strategy Task Group
Task Group Chair – Kirsty Kelly, CEO, Planning Institute of Australia
The work of the Resilience Strategy Task Group will carry the adaptation work of ASBEC’s previous Climate Change Task Group forward, as well as work on building broader resilience in Australia’s built environment. The Resilience Strategy Task Group will seek nation-wide implementation of strategic approaches that increase the resilience of the built environment in the face of predicted climate change impacts.
The objectives of the Resilience Strategy Task Group are:
- To advocate the implementation of the recommendations of the ASBEC Climate Change Adaptation Framework
- Develop a coordinated and strategic nation-wide approach to enhance the resilience of the built environment
- To monitor and review the implementation of built environment adaptation and resilience strategies
- To build on and disseminate the knowledge and evidence base of built environment resilience strategies, techniques and tools
- To build a collective ownership and responsibility for the preparation for a more resilient built environment.
Cities and Regions Policy Task Group
Task Group Chair – Romilly Madew, Chief Executive, Green Building Council of Australia
The ASBEC Cities and Regions Policy Task Group was established to consider the long-term productivity, liveability and sustainability of urban and regional communities, with the purpose of developing recommendations that lead to a long-term, joined-up urban and regional policy that delivers sustainable dividends, and aim to ensure that these recommendations are is adopted and funded..
The Task Group has undertaken research to explore and measure the links between greenhouse gas emissions from urban transport and land use within our cities. Importantly, the project sought to set out, in practical terms, what impact that changes to land use and transportation will have on greenhouse gas emissions, economic outcomes and liveability in Australian cities. The outcomes of this project identified the costs and benefits of various urban scenarios and potential optimal urban forms to inform public policy and government decision making.
During 2011, the Task Group worked closely with industry, government and academia on a set of indicators to complement the review of strategic planning systems for cities and urban areas, undertaken by the COAG Reform Council. In support of this work, the group released a ‘Call to Action’ early in 2011, seeking the establishment of a Federal Minister for Cities and Urban Development, accompanied by the relevant administrative functions required to support such a portfolio. The Task Group has been pleased to provide strong input into the Federal Government’s recently announced ‘National Urban Policy’ and is continuing its work with the Commonwealth to promote a national approach to urban sustainability.
See the Cities Snapshot for a background briefing on the work of the Task Group. (This document is intended as a briefing on Cities work to date. We invite you to send any updated information to eo@asbec.asn.au for consideration of inclusion.)
Proving Green Dividends Task Group
Task Group Chair – Peter Verwer, CEO, Property Council of Australia
Proving Green Dividends is a newly formed Task Group that aims to embed the Second Plank Report and broader dimensions of sustainability into an economic framework. The Task Group will consider the economic outcomes of a sustainable built environment. The Task Group will work to develop compelling analysis of green dividends that persuades the market to adopt sustainable business practices.
The main objectives of the Task Group are to:
- Conceptualise success criteria and targets for all dimensions of sustainability.
- In line with the framework developed to conceptualise sustainability targets, develop a persuasive evidence-based case that shows green practices:
- increase economic growth while simultaneously preserving natural capital;
- increase investment returns while improving eco-efficiency;
- lift multi-factor productivity; and
- improve liveability
- Develop an advocacy framework that promotes ASBEC’s findings on the economic outcomes of a sustainable built environment to an audience that includes major players in the building industry, and State and Federal Government.
Task Group Chair – Carolyn Hughes, Education Manager, AIRAH
The Jobs and Skills Task Group considers the policies, institutions and drivers that will produce an appropriately skilled workforce that both meets the needs of the built environment sector and supports a rapid transformation towards sustainable and resilient communities. The Task Group will work on advocacy for action from industry, governments and education providers to ensure that today’s workforce has the skills necessary to deliver a sustainable built environment.
The objective of the Jobs and Skills Task Group (Task Group) is to drive the development of a workforce with the skills required to build and service sustainable communities. The Task Group will do this by:
- Developing a framework that facilitates effective collaboration between industry, governments, education providers and other key stakeholders to ensure that the skills needs of the built environment sector are met. This framework includes:
- A set of key principles based on the ASBEC Skills Statement;
- A recognition of the need for industry leadership, and identification of the critical contributions necessary from governments, education providers and other key stakeholders;
- A description of the role of ASBEC and its members, as champions for a skilled workforce in the built environment
- An outline of the actions that will ensure the workforce has the skills necessary to deliver a sustainable built environment; and
- Advocacy for the development of practical and relevant industry based accreditation schemes that support the broader skills agenda.
- Working with ASBEC members to ensure that ASBEC’s Skills for a more Sustainable Future Framework is actively championed across the built environment sector.
- Advocating for the adoption of the Framework by all federal, state and territory governments and the education sector.
Task Group Co-Chairs – Rob Murray-Leach and Tristan Mercer, Energy Efficiency Council
The Micro Power Task Group has been established to examine the prospects for encouraging distributed energy systems in Australia through measurable performance targets that aim to significantly improve sustainability in the built environment. The Micro Power Task Group will develop a case study that demonstrates the sustainability, efficiency and productivity outcomes of decentralised energy through measureable targets.
The main objective of the Micro Power Task Group (Task Group) is to drive significant uptake of appropriate forms of micro power in the built environment in Australia, including cogeneration, trigeneration, district heating and cooling and renewable energy. This will:
- Provide a resilient and affordable energy supply system
- Reduce carbon emissions
Sustainable Housing Task Group
Task Group Chair – Adam Beck, Executive Director – Market Development & Sustainable Communities, Green Building Council of Australia
The Sustainable Housing Task Group will promote more livable, productive and innovative residential development in Australia. The work of the Task Group will feed directly into the Sustainable Built Environment Framework.
The Task Group will seek to influence residential development and housing to be more liveable, productive and innovative. In particular, the attributes of sustainable housing to be addressed will include, but not limited to, promoting housing that:
- Seeks to achieve zero emissions and water use
- Encourages energy efficiency
- Provides healthy indoor environments
- Seeks zero waste outcomes
- Embeds sustainable materials
- Is built using sustainable construction methods
- Is adaptable and resilient to climate change
- Is affordable across the full lifecycle of the dwelling
- Adapts to the needs of occupants as they age and/or their abilities change
Excellence and Innovation Task Group
Task Group Chair - Sue Holliday, Planning Institute of Australia
The Excellence and Innovation Task Group will focus on the development of an entity to drive implementation of effective, efficient and innovative design processes, procurement systems and benchmarking to improve productivity across the building and construction sector.
Last Update: 13 March 2013