“The Labour-led government believes New Zealand should aim to be the world’s first truly sustainable nation,” Building and Construction Minister Clayton Cosgrove said. “We know the way we design our buildings and homes will be central to that effort.
“Every building component, even the humble nail, has a carbon cost, or simply the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that were created in making it. In a truly ‘green’ building, that cost might be included in the building’s overall energy efficiency.”
Mr Cosgrove said the government is conscious of the world-wide research underway into the environment impact of buildings, and New Zealand needs to be exploring these issues in-depth to ensure it is on the best possible path. “Using the projected lifetime CO2 emissions of buildings as the principal measure of resource efficiency under the new Building Code is worth considering. This approach would take into account energy and water efficiency, construction materials and construction waste.”