ASX-listed property group Mirvac has become the latest Australian company to join the global RE100 initiative, with a plan to transition to all-electric buildings powered by 100 per cent renewables before 2030.
The commitment to clean energy, announced Friday, follows up on the company’s pledge to be net positive carbon by 2030, and makes Mirvac the first Australian property group to join the rapidly growing ranks of RE100.
As RenewEconomy reported earlier this week, there have been eight Australian companies to join RE100 since its formal launch in Australia in late 2018: the Commonwealth Bank, Bank Australia, ANZ, NAB, Westpac, Macquarie Bank, QBE and Atlassian.
Mirvac’s Group general manager for sustainability, Sarah Clarke, said that the property development company’s decision to join showed a commitment to “being a force for good” and minimising impact on the planet.
“As a leading Australian property group, we know that we can have a significant and meaningful impact by eliminating our carbon emissions and transitioning to all-electric buildings that run on 100 per cent renewable energy, and we intend to do this before 2030,” Clarke said.
“By joining RE100, we can connect with other leaders in this space who are driven towards the same goal of reducing carbon emissions,” she said.
Already, Mirvac has reduced its carbon intensity by 26 per cent across the group’s operations, and in June this year, released its Planet Positive plan, mapping the company’s path to zero net positive carbon by 2030.
The company has also been working with the backing of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to offer solar and battery storage as standard features in new-build homes.
As part of the scheme, announced in March 2018, solar and batteries are being included as part of Mirvac’s base build in three new masterplanned residential communities, including in Sydney and Brisbane.
In another, a separate Mirvac housing project planned for Melbourne’s south-west has been awarded $784,000 in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, to help demonstrate the feasibility of building “net zero energy” homes at scale.
The $2 million project, called The Fabric, will build 49 new 7-star energy rated and all-electric townhouses, each with between 3.8-5kW of rooftop solar, 10kWh of battery storage, smart energy monitoring, and energy efficient electric appliances.
“Mirvac is helping to lead the way for RE100 in the Australian property sector,” said Jon Dee, the Australian coordinator for RE100, in comments on Friday.
“Mirvac recognises that renewable electricity can help to lower costs, reduce risk and contribute to a cleaner future. It’s a win/win for both business and the environment.”
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
