Carbon Emissions
After setting out our carbon goals through our PLANET POSITIVE PLAN, we were proud to reach our net positive carbon goal in Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2021. This was achieved by maximising energy efficiency, going all-electric, buying 100% renewable electricity, and investing in a small amount of high-quality, community focused carbon offsets.
We have now released our NET POSITIVE CARBON PLAN to achieve net positive in the challenging area of scope 3 emissions by 2030.
Scope 3 emissions are those we cannot control but can influence – things like embodied carbon in the materials we buy, emissions from waste disposal, and the energy used by our tenants and residential customers.
We will be working to reduce our carbon emissions utilising our internal design and construction capabilities and in house sustainability expertise, in partnership with our suppliers and customers, and then we intend to invest in high-quality, nature-based, Australian offsets for any remaining emissions from FY30.
We’re working on a range of actions we know will significantly reduce our footprint, including building all electric, exploring ways to source 100% renewable energy for our residential customers, partnering with commercial customers to influence their fuel choices, using innovative design and construction techniques and sourcing lower carbon materials.
We’re already putting this into practice – for example, at our recently completed Heritage Lanes at 80 Ann Street premium office development in Brisbane we utilised lower carbon concrete, and diverted over 90% of construction waste from landfill. Heritage Lanes will be net zero in its operations, with all base building loads including heating run on renewable electricity.
carbon emissions
WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT
As the world’s population grows, so does the human impact on the earth, particularly when it comes to climate change. Even if all the recent net zero pledges made at the COP 26 conference in Glasgow were achieved, the world will still warm by 2.2 degrees by the end of this century, which is well outside the 1.5 degree aim climate scientists have agreed is needed to avoid catastrophic impacts.
HOW WE’RE POSITIONED TO DRIVE CHANGE
Mirvac has an important leadership role to play in bringing about positive change in the built environment sector. By designing, creating and managing high quality, energy efficient buildings operating on renewable energy, we not only reduce our own emissions and impact, but we can also demonstrate the benefits of working as a ‘force for good’, inspiring and influencing others to do the same.
The built environment in Australia represents approximately 25 per cent of our total emissions, and as a major player within our property industry, Mirvac’s leadership can influence change. Given that our core business is focused on designing, creating and managing high-quality buildings, we have an important opportunity to make a difference to the environment and combat rising energy costs at the same time. Find out what Mirvac’s Executive Team had to say about our net positive carbon achievement to each of them personally.
Being a force for good doesn’t need to come at the expense of commercial sustainability. By transitioning our portfolio sooner rather than later, we’ll benefit from energy price certainty and create greater value for our stakeholders. And with low carbon building policy reforms on the horizon, we’ll also be stay ahead of the curve when it comes to compliance.
Our Focus Areas
Mirvac acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters of Australia, and we offer our respect to their Elders past and present.
Artwork: ‘Reimagining Country’, created by Riki Salam (Mualgal, Kaurareg, Kuku Yalanji) of We are 27 Creative.