Government counting on green homes to cut emissions

This article discusses measures taken by the Federal Government in the 2007 budget to fight global warming by introducing incentives and grants for residential households to install energy saving devices such as solar power systems. The article also outlines criticisms of the current proposals as the amount of funding is insufficient to support a decent proportion of the population actually installing the systems, and the $8,000 grant will cover less than half of the $20,000 price tag.

It has also been noted in the article that the budget does not provide for solar water heaters which would help to reduce the largest energy consumption in households. The article further indicates that if the ALP is successful in the next election, it will offer low interest loans of $10,000 to implement power and water saving measures such as solar panels, rainwater tanks, roof insulation, solar hot water heaters, awnings and grey water recycling systems.

While the article does not comment directly on the construction industry, the budget measures will have a significant impact on residential builders and developers who are likely to experience a higher demand for water and energy saving devices in new homes. They should also be aware of the grants as a ‘value add’ that they can recommend to their clients, as they would significantly reduce the cost of building a sustainable home. It further illustrates how the state of the construction industry is often shaped by outside forces, in particular political decisions and policies.

http://www.industrysearch.com.au/News/Goverment_counting_on_green_homes_to_cut_emissions-25879