Energy-efficient houses and cleaner air are on Armidale Regional Council's list for the Local Government NSW Annual Conference, councils' biggest policy-making event, in October.
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Member councils put forward motions, which, if passed at conference, become resolutions that LGNSW takes to the state government on councils' behalf.
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Better building standards
Crs Dorothy Robinson and Debra O'Brien proposed that LGNSW support the NSW Upper House Public Accountability Committee's inquiry into regulation of building standards, building quality, and building disputes.
Established on July 4, the inquiry looks at the role of private certification in protecting building standards; whether consumer protections are adequate for owners of new buildings; and limitations on insurance and compensation schemes.
The councillors also believe LGNSW should lobby for more effective Building Sustainability Index Standards (BASIX) to improve energy and water efficiency, and the impact of new buildings on the climate - especially in colder areas like Armidale which suffer from unhealthy particulate pollution in winter, and for which, they think, current BASIX standards are inadequate.
"BASIX might have been OK 20 years ago," Cr Robinson said, "but, as energy prices have increased, and we know more about other issues, it could be improved."
The state government, council's sustainability and development service leader Ambrose Hallmann said, developed BASIX to make homes across the state water- and energy-efficient.
"While it is a certification component of building, it actually looks for environmental outcomes," Mr Hallmann said. "The concept behind it is that if we have energy efficiency and water efficiency built into new homes, we'll see less demand on those aspects."
He thought it did not meet the outcomes hoped for the Armidale region, but at least ensured that all homes met a minimum standard.
"In our climate, could we do better? We probably could," Mr Hallmann said. "However, market forces are also involved in the design of homes that we see in Armidale."
Energy-efficient houses, Cr Robinson thought, would make the region more attractive and a better place to live. There was, she said, a vast difference between a house that was cold in winter and an energy-efficient house with low-running costs.
The cost of electricity, Cr O'Brien said, was one of the major factors in businesses closing down or going bankrupt, and one of the greatest reasons now for homelessness.
"We should be in the forefront of pushing for improved building regulations to protect and stand up for our community, particularly in a time when we know electricity prices are putting people on the streets and out of business."
Crs O'Brien and Robinson also proposed that LGNSW lobby for funds to upgrade existing buildings to a satisfactory standard, when benefits greatly exceed the cost of upgrading. (BASIX covers new homes, and buildings, not renovations to an existing home.)
"We want to make homes more attractive for this region, so that everybody can enjoy a healthier lifestyle," Cr Robinson said.
Cr Jonathan Galletly opposed the motion. He thought building standards were already high, and that upgrades could be a financial burden for investment home owners.
Cleaner air
Air pollution, particularly from wood smoke, is a serious health problem for Armidale, Crs Robinson and O'Brien believe.
They proposed that when official monitoring shows serious breaches of national air quality standards, the NSW government should provide resources and assistance to help councils meet national standards as soon as possible.
"Asking for [government] assistance gives us power to make decisions about how we might best deal with our pollution problem," Cr O'Brien said.
She was concerned that the decision-making power could be taken out of council's hands if air quality exceedances reached the point where state government imposed regulations.
"We may not have the ability to make local decisions that best suit our conditions and community," Cr O'Brien said.
On the other hand, asking for assistance early could bring grants to clean the air, and to implement green energy reforms.
"We'd have the ability to ... assist those who might want to transition to cleaner energy without any levels of regulation being imposed on the community," Cr O'Brien said.
Cr Brad Widders supported chasing any funding to help clean up the air. "Although it gives us warmth, the smoke affects everyone in the community," he said.
An unconvinced Cr Galletly opposed the motion. "I haven't seen anyone fall over dead from wood smoke," he said. Until that day, he would stick to his guns about keeping wood fires going.