Identifying, modelling and realising retrofit opportunities for apartment buildings

The research team also includes A/Prof Anna Bruce, Dr Mike Roberts, and Professor Alistair Sproul of UNSW’s Collaboration on Energy and Environmental Markets (CEEM).

Industry Reference Group representatives include:

ANU Centre for Energy Systems
Ausgrid
Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC)
City of Adelaide
City of Sydney
City of Vincent
City of Yarra
Energy Consumers Australia (ECA)
Energy Efficiency Council (EEC)
Facility Managers Association of Australia (FMA)
Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)
Justice and Equity Centre
Let Me Be Frank
Milli Studio
Moonee Valley City Council
Solar Victoria
Sustainability Now
Sydney Water
Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)
Wattblock

In the move to Net Zero in Australia, apartments have been largely left behind. The unique difficulties of retrofitting apartments means that they have ended up in the ‘too hard’ basket when it comes to both policy and practice. This project brings together experts in apartment building governance with experts in renewable energy and strata law to provide resources to help property owners make a case for retrofits and evidence to support regulatory and behaviour change.

This research will:

Assist property owners to make a case for retrofit by providing examples of successful retrofit projects and an indication of the likely costs and benefits.
Provide information and resources to support behaviour change (e.g. encourage residents to change their energy usage behaviour).
Help inform government decisions on programs, grants and incentives to encourage sustainable retrofits in apartment buildings.
Provide information to support regulatory reform (e.g. amendments to strata scheme management acts, support the case for mandatory disclosure of building performance).

For more information, please contact our Project Manager (Dr Edgar Liu) or see our RACE for 2030 project page.