CIBSE was delighted to attend the recent ASBEC meeting at Parliament House in Canberra. There was plenty of action, not least with Parliamentarians having to respond to some 40 division bells during the meeting (which kept some of the attendees on their toes).
ASBEC has now confirmed that its 2026–2030 priorities will focus on:
- Accelerating decarbonisation across buildings and infrastructure.
- Enhancing resilience and climate adaptation strategies.
- Driving circular economy principles in the built environment.
Attendees were briefed on a range of Policy & Regulatory Updates, including the Australian National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 Finalisation (Building Ministers agreed to modernise the NCC to ensure a fit-for-purpose regulatory environment). Key changes include stricter energy efficiency standards for building fabric and HVAC systems and improved condensation management and ventilation provisions.
AIRAH & GBCA released their new discussion Paper – ‘Freeze Frame: Refrigerants as Long-Term Building Infrastructure’. The paper highlights that refrigerants represent a significant emissions source and infrastructure risk, and that there could soon be an acute shortage of HFC refrigerants available for maintenance purposes in the very near future. The paper calls for proactive planning, including better registering of refrigerants in existing buildings, and an immediate call out to engineers and designer to design for low-GWP alternatives and future-proof systems. The GBCA also called for designer to make themselves familiar with the Green Star Buildings v1.1 stepped refrigerant limits (starting 2028).
Other Key Releases at the meeting:
- NABERS Annual Report – Highlights progress on energy performance ratings.
- RACE for 2030 EUAH Impact Report – Focus on residential energy upgrades.
- Living Future Institute Nature Design Guide – Practical nature-positive design solutions.
- BuildSkills Housing Workforce Capacity Study – Workforce needs to meet housing targets.
And we were told of some Government Programs & Consultations that our members might like to participate in;
- Solar Sharer Program – Unlocks free daytime solar for homes (consultation closes 21 Nov).
- Climate Change Authority Review – ACCU Scheme (consultation closes 8 Dec).
- NABERS Energy Update for 2030 – Input sought on rating methodology (consultation closes 12 Dec).
Key take-aways for CIBSE members:
- Prepare for NCC 2025 compliance
- Rethink refrigerant choices and start transition planning now.
- Engage with consultations to influence policy outcomes.
- Explore nature-positive design and workforce capacity strategies.