The Australian Institute of Architects recognises that climate change is the biggest crisis facing our communities, our country and indeed, our planet and that urgent action is required.
The Institute is working across multiple fronts to advocate for and achieve net-zero carbon emissions in the built environment by 2030.
We have ourselves gone through the process of auditing our carbon footprint for the 2019 and 2020 calendar years. This has enabled us to develop a baseline carbon footprint to work off in becoming carbon neutral. On 9 September, we signed the NoCo2 Certification Program Agreement with the Carbon Reduction Institute, which means the Institute is now carbon neutral.
This process involves offsetting the Institute’s emissions through the purchase of carbon credits while also continuing to audit our emissions on a quarterly basis to ensure we are correctly offsetting our carbon footprint.
We have elected to purchase India Wind Energy credits, investing in clean energy to partially displace energy currently generated from grid connected conventional fossil fuel based thermal power plants, while reducing emissions.
Wind projects reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and reduces local air pollution, curtailing its negative health impacts. In addition to its environmental benefits, the implementation of the project creates job opportunities for local workers, contractors and suppliers, while the operation and maintenance of the wind park generates long term employment opportunities.
Now that the Institute is carbon neutral, we’ll be listed on the Low Carbon Economy website which enables users to search low carbon suppliers by category.
Members themselves can also follow our lead and use the link to learn more about starting or continuing their own journeys to net carbon zero as we continue our campaign to encourage our more than 12,000 members to do the same.
We are challenging government to urgently implement broader policies to bring about wholescale change to ensure Australia fulfills its Paris Agreement commitment.
