Conry Tech has released the Australia’s Worst Buildings report, highlighting the significant energy consumption and inefficiencies plaguing the nation’s built environment.
The report reveals that the average Australian office building emits 432 tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to the emissions of 415 passenger vehicles.
Shockingly, only 2 per cent of the 127,000 Australian offices are subject to energy use and emissions tracking schemes, with many already boasting high ratings, reducing the incentive for further improvements.
Conry Tech urges Australian businesses to prioritise high-performing offices and encourages individuals to favour shopping centres and hotels based on their environmental impact.
The company believes this consumer pressure will compel building owners to implement necessary upgrades.
The report emphasises that reducing emissions from the built environment is crucial to achieving net-zero targets.
Key findings from the report include alarming statistics: some Australian offices produce over 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, and a significant number of buildings lack public energy efficiency ratings.
Furthermore, over half of the offices rated by the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) already hold a five-star rating or higher, diminishing the motivation for further improvements.
The report also identifies shopping centres as some of the worst offenders in terms of annual energy consumption, with 15 of the 20 worst-performing buildings being shopping centres.
Additionally, 19 offices in Australia received a NABERS rating of 0, indicating a complete failure to meet minimum energy efficiency standards.
In contrast, one Melbourne office demonstrated the potential for improvement by reducing its annual CO2 emissions from 14 million kgs to just four million kgs through retrofits and upgrades.
“From the outside, we see shiny office blocks and luxury hotels, but they are deeply flawed buildings and bad neighbours,” said Conry Tech co-founder and CEO, Sam Ringwaldt.
“The built environment is a huge source of emissions, and we are only measuring the very tip of the iceberg.
“98 per cent of office spaces aren’t rated at all by current energy and emissions standards and the government should be incentivising building owners to take every step possible to reduce emissions.
“As well as top-down pressure from regulators, Australian citizens have the power to enact change by staying away from our worst buildings.
“Environmental impact should be one of the biggest considerations when renting commercial space, and even a deciding factor when choosing a hotel. People can and should vote with their feet.”
Ringwaldt uses the analogy of a multi-storey car park filled with cars, stating that the annual emissions of every car parked inside are equivalent to the environmental impact of the average Australian office building.
He emphasises that these buildings present an opportunity for reducing national emissions through better insulation, double-glazing, and reducing the energy consumption of HVAC systems.
“Air-con is always one of the biggest energy drain in a commercial space, yet the industry has barely changed for 100 years,” said Ringwaldt.
