BUILDING INNOVATION FUND

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:13): My question is directed to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation with regard to the Building Innovation Fund. What support is the government providing to help reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:13): I thank the member for Ashford for her question and, as always, I do acknowledge her commitment to all aspects of environmental management. It is clear that our climate is changing and that this change is largely due to the increases in human-produced carbon pollution.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I am not going to say anything. It would be disorderly to respond, but—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley, you are on your third warning. The next time you will go out.

The Hon. P. CAICA: That's all right, third warning. The government is serious about reducing this carbon pollution. That is why we are supporting the uptake of developing technologies to help reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment. Today I am pleased to announce the opening of the fourth round of the $2 million Building Innovation Fund. This fund was established in 2008 and provides grants for both capital works and feasibility studies to owners of private office buildings, universities, not-for-profit associations, hotels and shopping centres. It is about encouraging commercial building owners to explore innovative technologies to reduce energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The Building Innovation Fund has supported several feasibility studies and capital work projects to date. An example is the trial of a green wall and a roof in the CBD to see how these concepts influence a building's thermal energy performance. Other projects include energy generation technologies, including trigeneration, meaning the use of waste energy to produce heat, electricity and cooling—I know that the member for Bragg is very familiar with trigeneration—and also a solar facade.

Thermal imaging has also been undertaken to determine building facade improvements. In plain English, this means the use of an infra-red camera to measure the radiation of a surface, and this produces a colour image which can be converted into a temperature. The Building Innovation Fund has helped to inspire—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: The Building Innovation Fund has helped to inspire renewed enthusiasm for new building technologies and techniques. With the help of the Building Innovation Fund, South Australia is continuing its leadership in sustainability of the built environment. This is the fourth call for funding under this program. I encourage eligible building owners to apply to improve the performance of their building. The lessons learned through these projects are being shared across industry to expand levels of understanding about ways to reduce carbon footprints. This is a very commendable program. It is another tangible sign of this government's commitment to a sustainable future for South Australia.