Benchmark Study on Green Buildings - Royal Architectural Institute ...

sustainable living and technologies through its policy and advocacy, research projects and
publications.
The ATA has a very practical approach to achieving change. It takes the feedback it
receives from people active in renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable building
and water conservation, and works to overcome the barriers that prevent or slow down
the uptake of sustainable technologies in these fields. Some barriers require a change in
government policy, others different methods of implementation and some require
ongoing education and training to make an impact. The ATA conducts a number of
demonstration projects on renewable energy, energy efficiency, water conservation and
sustainable building with partners from the government, industry or welfare sectors.
Projects are determined based on feedback from ATA members and consumers. The
selected projects road test new and evolving technologies and practices to see how they
perform in ‘real life’ and to ensure they provide the best environmental outcome. Projects
currently underway include greywater trials, home energy conservation practices, and
how to get more people involved in greening their homes both nationally and abroad.
For over 25 years now, the ATA has published a range of magazines, books and CD
Roms to help thousands of Australians live sustainably. The ATA information booklets
cover solar electricity, solar hot water and wind power. They provide an overview of the
technology in question, information about leading manufacturers, prices, guidelines on
how to install the systems, how to properly clean and care for the equipment, and other
important information for anyone interested in these technologies. The ATA CD Roms
simply contain dozens of issues of the ATA’s magazines, for those who prefer electronic
copies. ‘ReNew: Technology for a Sustainable Future’ is Australia’s premier magazine
on practical sustainable living. Published quarterly, ReNew features the latest in
sustainable building practices and renewable energy technologies. It demonstrates the
technology in action and provides practical information for people who would like to live
more sustainably. ReNew also covers environmental issues, the conservation of resources,
recycling, and sustainable transportation. ‘Sanctuary: sustainable living with style’
magazine is looking for Australia’s most sustainable homes and apartments to feature in
its 2006 annual publication. Sanctuary showcases Australia’s leading sustainable
architects and building designers and their cutting edge and inspiring houses that are
designed for style, comfort, health and the environment.
Your Home:
‘Your Home’ is a joint initiative of the Australian Government and the design and
construction industries. A web-based project, Your Home provides a suite of consumer
and technical guide materials and tools developed to encourage the design, construction
or renovation of homes to be comfortable, healthy and more environmentally sustainable.
The Green Directory:
The Green Directory is Australia’s leading online eco-directory listing products and
services which are eco-friendly and promote sustainability. To be listed, businesses must
sell environmentally responsible products or services, or help encourage sustainability in
some other significant way. The site also acts as a small incentive to manufacturers and
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