Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUA’s) or Building Upgrade Finance Project Officer (Council Project Officer or ZEN Inc. Project Officer) (part time)
Project description:
This project is to gain agreement, with NSC & other Council’s in Qld. and key stakeholders e.g. the Property Council, to work with the State Government to have Building Upgrade Finance or Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUA’s) introduced into Queensland, similar to the NSW, Vic & S.A. programs.
This program allows households and businesses to repay loans from third party financiers (for example the Sustainable Australia Fund through Bank Australia), through Council rates for 10 or 20 years, for building upgrades, enhancements, or modifications to homes and businesses to adapt to and become more resilient to climate change by:
improving energy and water efficiency
installing renewable energy infrastructure;
reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
preventing or reducing pollution;
reducing the use of building materials;
recovering or recycling materials,
monitoring environmental performance, or
encouraging alternatives to fossil fuel vehicle use and reduce operating costs.
This program generates new economic activity within a local government area, without needing investment by either state or local governments.
Businesses (and in Vic. households) don’t have to pay upfront costs for building upgrades. Owners are more inclined to upgrade buildings as they aren’t out of pocket. In most arrangements they share these costs with their tenants, who benefit most from reduced operating costs, particularly important for vulnerable groups in the community.
The loan is attached to the property, so it continues if the property changes hands.
Councils can call on the services of Building Better Finance (BBF) which is a third-party administration service for councils, currently servicing 30 councils in other states. BBF can guide councils through the whole process of joining this program, and then administering the loans for them. Of course, Councils can also choose to self-administer and do it themselves.
It is an opt in program and there is no obligation for an LGA to participate.