Insights and observations from our practice and elsewhere

Clean energy needs actively engaged buildings

Clean energy needs actively engaged buildings

If the world is to reach net zero emissions by 2050, electricity networks will need to be carbon-free in advanced economies by 2035 and globally by 2040. This will require rapid scaling of renewable energy investments, tripling to around USD $4 trillion per annum by...

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Net Zero Carbon: The hidden ingredient

Net Zero Carbon: The hidden ingredient

It’s time to rethink what ‘energy efficiency’ means for buildings. Energy efficiency is the most powerful tool we have for accelerating progress to Net Zero Carbon (NZC), but as the California Energy Commission explains in its Energy Efficiency Action Plan: “… it is...

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NABERS will soon use the latest NGA Emissions Factors

NABERS will soon use the latest NGA Emissions Factors

For the first time in NABERS’ history, the National Greenhouse Account (NGA) factors that are used to calculate NABERS Energy ratings are going to change. Read on to find out what that means for your rating and what you can do to maintain (or improve) your building’s...

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Introducing REF+. Finally, smart technology that saves time!

Introducing REF+. Finally, smart technology that saves time!

Ever since we conducted our first experiments and built our first prototypes almost a decade ago, Buildings Alive has been saving people time. Sure, our main purpose is to help building owners, operators and occupiers achieve their energy and environmental efficiency...

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Demand response goes back to the future

Demand response goes back to the future

The stability of the electricity grid and incentives for electricity users to change their behaviour is once again topical as we approach another Australian summer with the expectation of greater than ever demand. However, load management has been a challenge for...

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Managing the impacts of COVID-19 on NABERS ratings v3.0

Managing the impacts of COVID-19 on NABERS ratings v3.0

The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted almost every aspect of daily life, with the subsequent lockdowns bringing numerous challenges to commercial building owners and operators. With large changes in occupancy, one of the difficulties has been ensuring energy use has...

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3 ACEEE Summer Study 2020 Papers

3 ACEEE Summer Study 2020 Papers

Continuing to operate at the leading edge of building energy performance analysis, Buildings Alive commits a significant amount of resources to research and development activity. Several of Buildings Alive’s staff have again had research papers accepted to the...

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The electricity market is about to turn upside down

The electricity market is about to turn upside down

On 31 August 2018, three public advocacy groups wrote to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) asking for it to change the rules governing how the Australian electricity market works. Their request? Allow consumers to be paid for electricity they avoid using....

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