Sustainable Transformation Podcast: The Built Environment Episode

by Sustainability Tracker 14/10/2026

Podcast

This article was contributed by Sustainability Tracker.

A simple choice could make your home 10 degrees hotter

Buildings account for almost a quarter of Australia’s emissions and use more than half of our electricity. Yet most of us know more about the energy rating of our fridge than about the most expensive thing we’ll ever own.

In this episode, Kiarne sits down with Davina Rooney, CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the organisation behind the Green Star rating system. Davina is a structural engineer by training and has worked on construction sites, in property and in policy rooms around the country. Her focus is bringing the conversation back to the kitchen table.

They talk about who is paying for greener buildings and whether it pays them back, why the materials in a building are becoming a much bigger part of its carbon story, and where good intentions get lost between the first quote and the finished build. They also cover the renovation choice that could make your house 10 degrees hotter.

You’ll hear and learn:

Whether a greener home pays you back, and how long you would have to wait
What makes up a building’s carbon footprint, and why the materials matter more as the grid gets cleaner
Why sustainability commitments get “value engineered out” of construction projects, and what keeps them in
What a cyclone taught Davina about designing buildings for the conditions ahead
Davina’s no-brainer decisions for anyone building or renovating a home

This episode is a must-listen for anyone building, renovating or renting a home, and for property, construction and sustainability professionals who want a clear picture of where Australia’s built environment is heading.

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