We are pleased to announce that we officially launched the Decarbonising the Building Industry (DBI) initiative. The event marked the beginning of a collaboration between industry leaders, government officials, and researchers, all committed to forging a more sustainable future for the building industry.
The day began with Prof. Tuan Ngo, Network Convenor, warmly welcoming everyone, setting a collaborative tone for the journey ahead. Prof. Michael Wesley, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at University of Melbourne, then took the stage to discuss the crucial role of global knowledge partnerships in tackling global challenges like climate change and energy transition.
Suzanne Lavender, Director, Policy Development, National Energy Performance Strategy at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, outlined Australia’s ambitious emission reduction targets, bringing into focus the scale of our collective mission. Adding to the momentum, Prof. Abbas Rajabifard, Associate Dean of Sustainability, highlighted UniMelb’s commitment to sustainable practices.
Prof. Andrew Western delved into the complexities of decarbonising key construction materials like steel and cement, while Dr Benoit Gilbert from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Queensland) shone a light on the potential of timber as a sustainable alternative in construction.
The magnitude of the building sector’s decarbonisation challenge was presented by Jason Hughes from Spark Projects. Echoing this sentiment, Jeff Robinson from Aurecon emphasised the essential role of collaboration across all sectors in achieving effective decarbonisation.
Dr Behzad Rismanchi, Deputy Network Convenor, provided an insightful overview of DBI’s strategy and action plan for the next four years, setting the stage for the future activities of the network.
A highlight of the day was the Roundtable Discussion, which brought together diverse perspectives to address key areas like building materials, operations, construction, and policy and governance.
As we reflect on the day’s events, it’s clear that this launch is just the beginning of a transformative journey. The shared passion, expertise, and commitment have laid a robust foundation for our collective efforts in decarbonising the building industry.
We would like to thank the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for funding this initiative.
We are thrilled about the potential of DBI and eagerly anticipate the positive changes we can collectively bring to our industry.
