Introduce mandatory minimum climate change standards into the planning scheme
Mandatory controls are required for both the building and the planning system to ensure the highest quality of buildings best able to cope with the projected impacts of climate change. Ideally, the standards within the two systems should complement one another.
Recently improved standards within the building system will only be fully effective if supported by best practice standards from the planning system. For example, a house built with a high energy efficiency rating (building code) will only perform to its maximum ability if issues such as orientation and siting have been considered (planning).
Introducing minimum standards will also ensure consistency across the planning system throughout Victoria. This will guard against potential exploitation of weaker standards. Currently, local governments seeking to improve on existing standards must take on the burden of research and the planning framework approval process themselves. Science-based minimum standards across the state would relieve this burden.
Recently improved standards within the building system will only be fully effective if supported by best practice standards from the planning system. For example, a house built with a high energy efficiency rating (building code) will only perform to its maximum ability if issues such as orientation and siting have been considered (planning).
Introducing minimum standards will also ensure consistency across the planning system throughout Victoria. This will guard against potential exploitation of weaker standards. Currently, local governments seeking to improve on existing standards must take on the burden of research and the planning framework approval process themselves. Science-based minimum standards across the state would relieve this burden.