Friday 4 December 2009
AN AUSTRALIAN sustainability expert is warning consumers to
watch out for designers, architects and builders claiming to be
sustainability specialists.
The warning was issued today following a rise in the number of
people appointing unqualified sustainability practitioners to
design and build their homes and offices.
Leading Australian eco architect and adjunct professor at
Murdoch University Mr Garry Baverstock said he was aware of the
sudden increase in the amount of unqualified people claiming to be
'sustainability' experts.
"Sustainability is the new buzz word and there is a growing
number of drafts people, architects and builders claiming to be
'experts' when they are neither qualified nor experienced in this
area," said Mr Baverstock.
"I'm worried it will all come to a head in a few years when
people realise their homes and offices don't comply with
sustainability principles and will label 'sustainable buildings' a
joke.
"This is such an important issue because the built environment
in developed nations such as Australia accounts for between 40 and
50 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions so our buildings need to
comply with the best possible sustainability and energy efficiency
rating systems," said Mr Baverstock.
Mr Baverstock said it was not easy to design and build top
rating energy efficient buildings because specialist expertise and
coordination was required.
He said many practitioners were telling people they were
sustainability experts just to win jobs.
"I believe this fraudulent behaviour must be stopped and for
practitioners to return to university to complete post-graduate
studies in environmental science and sustainability," he said.
"These courses provide students with knowledge and skills over
and above what they would have learnt in their undergraduate
architectural and engineering degrees," he said.
Mr Baverstock said tips for people looking to appoint
sustainability experts included requesting copies of practitioners'
qualifications in sustainable design/environmental architecture;
number and types of awards won for green building designs;
addresses of past projects over the last ten years; client
testimonials; and the names of energy rating systems used.
Commercial business owners should contact the Green Building
Council of Australia (GBCA) to see if their proposed architects and
builders are registered with them.
... / Ends
Further
Information
Mr Garry Baverstock: Tel: 0419 965227
(Journalist) Jacinta Goerke: Tel: 0412
338813