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Sustainability

This Month

Calling all institutions: The CEFC wants to drum up capital for developments meeting EU-level emissions standards.

CEFC, $11b Goldman Sachs fund will invest in low-carbon developments

The federal government’s green bank says it’s leading other investors into more sustainable project investment.

February

In remote Bhutan, the ultimate place to unplug

Meaning “secret” or “hidden” in Bhutanese, Haa Sangwa eco-camp is as lightfooted – and magical – as they come.

January

HPX Group chief executive Nick Humphrey.

Hamilton Locke owner HPX Group leaps into ESG consulting

RSM Australia’s ESG and client services partner Linda Romanovska will head up the effort.

Nigel Bennett at the Barbican, London.

This star British gardener has big plans for Melbourne

Horticulturalist Nigel Dunnett is about to embark on his first project outside Britain – the Laak Boorndap garden in the new Melbourne Arts Precinct.

Political events overseas, including the election of President Donald Trump (pictured) have made a political football of investor sustainability issues.

Big super still supports diversity despite Trump

While political shifts in the US have brought to prominence some loud voices, investments should not be subject to short-term and non-evidential noise.

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1 Shelley Street is an 11-storey premium office tower that is being transformed into a fully electric building over the next two years.

Just 28pc of offices will meet major tenants’ climate needs

Government and blue-chip private sector tenants are pushing to move into green offices, but they are in short supply.

December 2024

Hitting it for six: The minimum standard of six star thermal efficiency ratings set in 2010 was upgraded to 7 stars last year.

Older, ‘cheaper’ houses hide costs that bite owners

More than 80 per cent of Australia’s houses have half the energy efficiency of the latest standards – and that’s going to make them less valuable.

November 2024

The unusual reason home batteries are making more financial sense

The price of installing batteries to go with your home solar system hasn’t changed much in years, but the rising cost of electricity is making storage more cost-effective.

With a 236-square-metre footprint, the average size of an Australian house in 2020, this country has the biggest houses in the world.

How much does that big house really cost you?

A new exhibition challenges thinking about houses at a time when Australia’s homes are the biggest in the world.

October 2024

Ever heard of a beer farm? This paddock-to-pint brewery is onto something

Provenance is all around you at Devilbend Farm Beer Co, where Mike Shaw grows his own ingredients, from barley to hops – even the yeast.

The Happy House in Nepal.

This humble ‘house’ in Nepal has lured celebrities and revived a village

Buy the stunning hand-woven rugs of Phaplu that grace the floors of Happy House, or wander down the road to watch the ateliers at work.

Since 2020, The Reconnect Project has diverted 5000 kilograms of devices from landfill.

Ever wondered what companies do with their old laptops and iPhones?

Sydney entrepreneur Annette Brodie creates new opportunities for obsolete tech via her social enterprise The Reconnect Project.

Ladakhi women herding dzos and dzomos in Zanskar, Ladakh India

What makes this Himalayan valley so alluring is its inaccessibility

In Ladakh’s fabled Zanskar Valley, remote villages, dramatic landscapes and ancient monasteries await adventurers. But will a new highway destroy the remote culture drawing visitors to the region?

Solar panels saved from the scrap heap

By 2027 Australia will be generating a million waste panels a year. ElecSome can put them to good use.

September 2024

Catching winter sun, avoiding summer glare: Emily Walter in her 8.2-star Canberra home.

The $660k home that has no heating or cooling costs

Higher thermal standards make homes more comfortable and cheaper to run. And they don’t have to be that much more expensive to build.

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Abundant secure water is a key feature of St Ronans Station.

Cotton power couple list $70m ‘carbon positive’ farm

David and Danielle Statham are selling their largest holding – St Ronans in Far North Queensland – as they focus on developing a large renewable energy project.

The fridge-in-reverse that can cut $1000 from home energy bills

Heat pump hot water systems can deliver large savings on energy bills, but there are issues to be aware of.

Alexandra Walters is making her Dee Why apartment more energy efficient.

The green renovations that could make you $100k

The potential to save thousands of dollars and add value to homes is enticing more households to install sustainable features when renovating.

Soil carbon capture surges as AI drives down costs

Artificial intelligence can reduce barriers to implementing soil carbon projects as ag tech creates new opportunities.

Discarded solar panels with shattered glass at a recycling facility in Arizona. Australia has few options for recycling panels.

Warning on the growing solar panel scrap heap

The industry is nearing a tipping point as the nation grapples with unprecedented levels of waste.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/sustainability--afr-only--6fmo