Towards zero carbon housing in Victoria, Australia : a policy and incentive framework

Zero carbon housing has been forwarded by researchers and policymakers as a way to reduce carbon emissions from the residential sector globally. Although policies promoting zero or low carbon housing have been set in several regions, there has been limited policy development towards this performance outcome in Australia. The research in this paper aims to address this issue through evaluating existing policy and incentives frameworks and proposing adaptations that can be used to promote and increase the delivery of zero carbon housing in the studied region, i.e., Victoria, Australia. The research utilised a systematic qualitative and quantitative research approach across three key phases. In the first phase, a literature review was conducted to provide a depiction of the existing policy framework and incentives in Australia and other representative countries. In the second phase, a workshop with key policymakers and academics was conducted to refine a draft online questionnaire for different stakeholders of zero carbon housing. Additional semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the policy departments of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Victoria. In the third phase of the research, the online survey was finalised and distributed to randomly sampled key stakeholders. The study reveals that builders lack experience in the construction of zero carbon houses, which was identified as a critical factor hindering the adoption of such houses. Financial incentives of state governments were identified as essential to stimulate the adoption of zero carbon houses in order to overcome any additional capital costs. The analysis informs the development of a proposed policy framework that could shape and scale up the development of policies and financial support to deliver zero carbon housing, not only in Australia but also in other jurisdictions, as the residential sector plays an increasing role in the transition to a low carbon future.