The upcoming ARBS 2014, Australia’s Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services exhibition will feature keynote addresses by Sustainability Group General Manager at Mirvac, Paul Edwards, and Victoria’s Minister for Planning, the Hon. Matthew Guy.
Paul Edwards
Paul Edwards in his keynote address on Tuesday 20 May will talk about industry’s collective responsibility for sustainable development. He will cover current environmental and social challenges and opportunities in the property development industry and elaborate on how smarter thinking and re-imagining resources are critical factors for the built environment of the future.
Commenting on the need for property developers to step up and be accountable for the results of their work, Mirvac’s CEO and Managing Director, Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz says that the future depends on all stakeholders acting in a sustainable way and thinking creatively about their impact on the environment and communities. Mirvac has begun the effort, setting corporate targets such as 15 per cent reduction in potable water use by 2018 and zero waste by 2030.
Given that more than 60 per cent of a building’s energy consumption is accounted for by building systems such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning, it’s a topic of huge interest to attendees at ARBS.
Hon. Matthew Guy
Victoria’s Minister for Planning the Hon. Matthew Guy will deliver a brief address on industry’s collective responsibility for sustainable development.
With billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure projects across the nation, Australia’s Prime Minister the Hon. Tony Abbott has been labelled the ‘Infrastructure Prime Minister’. In Victoria, the State Government has also allocated billions of dollars in the State Budget for infrastructure spending, making the ARBS, Australia’s premier gathering of building developers, maintainers and complementary industries the right platform to send out the message of sustainable property development.
Under his portfolio, Minister Guy has a remit to guide Victoria’s property and development industry towards more efficient buildings that minimise energy use and reduce carbon emissions. Energy reduction has been a focus of the Victorian Government with the introduction of various efficiency initiatives within the Government’s own portfolio. With the announcement last week of big ticket infrastructure, roads and public transport spending, the challenge will be to ensure these projects are delivered in an efficient and timely manner while the built environment continues to expand.
This keynote session will discuss the obligations on governments across Australia to minimise the environmental impact of the built environment as well as the role of business in leading the charge in delivering energy savings across new and existing building stock.
ARBS 2014 is being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Wharf, Melbourne, Victoria from Tuesday 20 to Thursday 22 May 2014.
