Council to score buildings

KNOX City Council stepped up its commitment to reducing the municipality’s ecological footprint last week, adopting a policy that will apply adherence to environmentally sustainable design (ESD) principles in council buildings.
Some of the councillors present at the strategic planning meeting last Tuesday night, though, were left wondering whether the policy had set the bar too high.
Knox’s Environment Advisory Committee chairman, councillor Mick Van De Vreede, explained the policy.
“ESD principles essentially set out to guide the design and construction of a building towards more sustainable principles and creating spaces that require fewer resources to maintain them as habitable and pleasant places to occupy,” he said.
As part of the policy, council officers will use computer software to generate an ESD rating, or score, for a given building or renovation, providing a quantifiable assessment of its potential environmental impact.
While the policy is aimed at council buildings, Cr Van De Vreede noted that Knox would also encourage builders and renovators in the community to adopt similar principles.
The point of fracture for the chamber was Cr Adam Gill’s proposal that the council aim to achieve 25 per cent efficiency over existing design standards for water and energy.
Councillors David Cooper and Debbie Field questioned the ability to achieve the proposed goal.
“I’m concerned that (the target) may prohibit a project going ahead that is required by the community,” Cr Cooper told the chamber.
By way of response, Cr Gill said: “We have to set the bar high so we can jump it.
“We make the decisions,” he said. “That’s our role.”
Ultimately, the council’s acceptance of Cr Gill’s amendment signalled a commitment to the promotion of environmentally sustainable development.
The council noted that it would continue to advocate for the adoption of comprehensive ESD assessment tools at state government level.