The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has confirmed the departure of Executive Director and Sustainability Awards Judge Suzanne Toumbourou, who has been appointed CEO of the Australian Council of Recycling.

Working within the role for nearly a decade, Toumbourou has had a major impact within the sector, recently overseeing the delivery of Built to Perform, an industry led pathway to a zero carbon ready building code in collaboration with ClimateWorks Australia. The program informs the COAG Energy Council’s ‘Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings’, paving a cross-jurisdictional pathway for net zero buildings in Australia. 

Toumbourou has also brought industry and community together to push for improved building standards, and successfully engage politicians and advisors at all levels to gain traction for ASBEC’s policy agenda throughout her tenure.

ASBEC President Professor Ken Maher AO says the contributions of Toumbourou during her time as Executive Director have been immensely influential.

“Under Suzanne’s leadership, ASBEC’s impact, reach and productivity has grown immensely.  Suzanne has been outstanding in her roles with ASBEC over her almost 10-year tenure, and through her significant contribution to sustainability in the built environment. She has leveraged the incredible collaborative spirit of ASBEC’s membership to build broad peak-level coalitions with various community members,” he says.

“She will be missed, and all of us at ASBEC congratulate her on her new appointment. I thank Suzanne for her enormous contribution to ASBEC’s work improving Australia’s current and future built environment, and am sure she will continue her wonderful contribution in her new role.”

Toumbourou says her time at ASBEC has seen substantial change made to national building codes and thinking around sustainability. 

“It has been an immense pleasure and privilege to work with ASBEC’s members over the past decade. We have achieved so much real impact together, from mapping the emissions reductions possibilities presented by our buildings and infrastructure to securing cross government support for improved energy performance measures in Australia’s Building Code. While I’m proud to have been part of the journey up to now, I know ASBEC’s members will continue to pursue their collective vision of a sustainable and resilient built environment in Australia.”

Accoridng to Architecure & Design editor Branko Miletic, the choice of Toumbourou as the Australian Council of Recycling CEO is a very shrewd and strategic one.

"Suzanne has proven with her many years at ASBEC, and as a judge on the Sustainability Awards, to be one of the most informed, intellegent and hardest-working people around when it comes to tackling the many issues facing Australia's climate and environment."

"She's the perfect choice to lead the Australian Council of Recycling during a time of profound and ongoing structural change."

"I congratulate her and I know that she'll be very succesful in this role," Miletic says.

Toumbourou will conclude her tenure at ASBEC at the end of June 2021.

Image: Supplied.