A BASIX tool for environmental assessment of residential buildings : an Australian approach

The rapidly growing population in New South Wales (NSW) is the driving force behind the growth in new housing. The environmental impact in terms of land use, energy and resource consumption will significantly impede the supply of new housing. In NSW, sustainable housing has become an important focus of the government's housing policy. In response to the need for sustainable housing, the government launched a sustainability assessment tool called BASIX in July 2004 to assess and establish indoor thermal comfort, water and energy efficiency targets, and sustainability levels. The introduction of BASIX has had a profound impact on the construction industry. In order to ascertain the extent of impact, an online survey was conducted among construction professionals in NSW in March 2006. The tool has played a significant role in providing a general guideline for the sustainability performance of proposed developments. It serves as a means to make people think about water and energy saving initiatives, and to encourage good design practice without excessive additions to the cost of a new building. However, there is the opinion that there is more to be done such as control of waste and energy usage in the manufacturing of building materials.