Current Australian housing targets vary by state/territory, but currently the average floor area of a new dwelling is 186m2 (though the most common Australian type, the detached house, averages 232m2, the largest in the world). If we don’t reconcile housing policy with climate policy, we are left with an unachievable target.
Following on from the Danish Reduction Roadmap, the Australian Roadmap assesses whether we can build within the planetary boundaries (where ecosystems can survive and thrive), clarifies the goals and outlines what we need to do to get there.
This is not reading for the faint-hearted. It is easier not to think about climate change. However in 2020, the authors of the Danish Reduction Roadmap stated: “If we continue with ‘business-as-usual,’ the remaining global climate budget, according to IPCC AR6, would be depleted within 6-12 years”. If we start working right now, we could stretch the climate budget over 7-12 years and provide a pathway for carbon reduction.”
Regionally sourced bio-based building materials like hempcrete are an integral part of that pathway.