Promoting energy efficiency in public sector commercial buildings in Australia

The State and Federal Governments in Australia have sought to lead by example and significantly reduce the energy consumed in public sector buildings. A number of reporting and benchmarking schemes have been developed, over the past two decades, to encourage and require property and facilities managers to reduce energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases. This paper investigates the process employed to implement savings and analyses the reported outcomes of the schemes both in terms of public sector savings and in influencing private sector behaviour. The paper will also look at recent legislative changes in Australia which mandate the measurement of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by private sector owners and occupiers yet specifically fall short of including public sector assets within the reporting requirements. Implications of this legislation on the management of both public and private sector buildings will be evaluated.