How the Government is
supporting BASIX

According to the Housing Industry Association, “the best way to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from housing is through rebates to existing home owners”. Although this is a controversial claim, the lure of monetary incentives can make new home buyers that little bit more enthusiastic about BASIX compliance, and even promote over-compliance.

The Federal Government is careful to not call its Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) system a rebate. Instead, it’s a rather convoluted process whereby home buyers who are seen to be producing renewable energy (that is, installing a complete solar hot water system or even a small generation unit) are awarded RECs; they can then sell these RECs to their energy supplier (that is, their electricity or gas company), who then present these certificates as proof that they’re contributing towards creating renewable energy. Basically, it’s a way to get some money back against the cost of installing a complete solar hot water system. It’s a particularly important scheme because hot water is responsible for a huge 37% of the greenhouse gas emissions from an average Sydney dwelling.

As the parents of BASIX , the NSW Government is little more blatant in its attempts to support the legislation. According to BASIX Ongoing Monitoring Program:2004-2005 Outcomes reticulated recycled water is the most efficient water-saving technology, beating out its closest competitors, the rainwater tank and greywater treatment. However, the same document reports that only two recycled water schemes existed in Sydney between 2004-2005, meaning that only ten percent of new homes built during this period could use recycled water as their alternative water source.

In order to increase the number of new homes with access to a recycled water scheme, Sydney Water has announced plans for the Western Sydney Recycled Water Initiative, which will provide recycled water via dual reticulation to all 160,000 new homes planned for new suburbs in Sydney’s north west and south west. There are also a recycled water scheme planned for Hoxton Park, and one under construction at Ropes Crossing.