Leading building products manufacturer, CSR Ltd welcomes the announcement by Premier Brumby and his Ministers, “Jobs for the Future Economy”. The package contains many measures which will improve the energy efficiency of the built environment and will be a catalyst for further change within that sector.

The support for Melbourne 1200 and the Greener Government Buildings support firmly nails the Victorian Government’s colours to the mast on these important initiatives. In particular the adoption of the new energy efficiency standards for new dwellings described in the 6 star housing ratings emphasises the Victorian Government’s strong commitment to renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Government has recognised this by the full implementation of the new codes.

There is no single solution to improving energy efficiency in the built environment. The adoption of 6 Star standards is an important step forward for sustainability in Australia’s houses. However permanent passive and pervasive measures in the durable building fabric should not be traded off for other less permanent measures.

“Reducing energy loss through the roof, walls, windows and floors of houses provides ongoing permanent savings in energy for the life of the building and should not be traded off for other short term measures, such as plug-in appliances,” said Rob Sindel, CEO of CSR Building Products Limited.

“Insulation will play an important role in meeting the new standard. However, in a typically otherwise well insulated house with ordinary clear single glazed windows, around 49% of unwanted heat losses in cooler months, and up to 87% of solar heat gain in summer, occurs through the windows,” he said.

The design to conform provisions in the new codes provide flexibility for designers and builders to achieve an optimum outcome. This will involve more flexibility for window design. The Australian window and glazing industry is well equipped to meet the new performance levels through a wide array of internationally proven technologies. CSR’s Viridian™ glass operations in South Australia are well placed to ensure the local industry will not be left behind.

“The great virtue of the high performance windows and glass available today is that they can contribute significantly to meeting the 6 Star standards and provide a higher standard of home comfort. There is no need to compromise on aesthetics or amenity when designing new homes or renovations,” said Lachlan Austin, General Manager, Marketing Viridian.

The new package will build on the assistance received from the State Government to invest in a low emissivity glass coater at Viridian’s Dandenong glass works, one of only seven such facilities globally to produce climate smart glass.