Hot off the press: The government announced this morning that buildings will have to display their energy use from 2024. Read the announcement here.
Here is the media release we sent out in response that was picked up by the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB.
Media Release: Government move to cut carbon emissions from buildings a great step but questions remain over whether it goes far enough, says FMANZ
Responding to today’s government announcement that buildings will have to display their energy use from 2024, Jo Duggan, chief executive of the Facilities Management Association of New Zealand, the group of thousands of professional Kiwis who run building operations across the country, said:
“Buildings use up large amounts of energy, driving up climate pollution, and have a huge role to play in slashing this pollution.
“That’s why today’s announcement to make the energy use of buildings transparent for all to see is a great step in the right direction.
“However, it seems to be lacking a few important details. For instance, it would be great if it included measures to ensure minimum standards of energy efficiency. We hope too that this announcement is intended to cover as many buildings as possible, rather than just large buildings over a certain size.
“Transparency alone may have been enough a decade ago, but the science on climate change is telling us we need to move much faster now, which is why mandatory minimums are needed. Government buildings already have to meet energy efficiency standards, and other buildings should too.
“And including as many buildings as possible would help to tackle climate change further, and also encourage more building owners to employ the silver bullet of energy efficiency to drive down operational costs.
“There are thousands of dedicated facilities management professionals working hard to ensure our public spaces and workplaces are safe, healthy, sustainable, productive and fit-for-purpose, and they’re ready and willing to play their part in addressing climate change.”
The Facilities Management Association of New Zealand (FMANZ) represents Aotearoa’s community of FM professionals and supports professional development, networking and knowledge sharing for members. Facilities managers oversee the strategic and operational management of facilities to ensure our public spaces and workplaces are safe, healthy, sustainable, productive and fit-for-purpose. As custodians of the built environment, they make a vital contribution and have an important role to play in many of the seismic shifts taking place in the world, including around sustainability, climate change, mental health, diversity and inclusion, leadership, technology, and new ways of working.
