New Zealand's second emissions reduction plan

We submitted our feedback to the Government on its second Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP2), which sets out how New Zealand will meet its 2050 net zero target.

We believe there’s an opportunity to include more actions and incentives in the plan for the building and construction industry. The sector is critical to the country's economy and environment. It employs around 300k people (or 10% of the country’s total workforce) and contributes NZ$17.6 billion of the country’s GDP (6.3%). It also has a significant impact on emissions (around 20%), but also has the potential to reduce them through various measures, such as:

• Energy Performance Certificates, which can provide information and incentives for improving the energy efficiency of buildings
• Building retrofits, which can enhance the thermal performance and comfort of existing buildings
• Energy efficiency measures, which can reduce the energy demand and emissions from heating, cooling, lighting and appliances.

BRANZ recommends the Government includes the building and construction sector in its plan. We believe that this sector can play a vital role in achieving the 2050 net zero target and creating a low-emissions economy for New Zealand.