The Global Cooksafe Coalition (GCC) has welcomed the Property Council of Australia as its newest member, signaling the peak body’s ongoing support for fossil fuel free kitchens in commercial and residential buildings.
The Property Council represents 2,300 member companies across the property sector and promotes the sustainability of the built environment as a key priority.
GCC Australia program manager, Virginia Jones said the addition of the Property Council to the coalition clearly demonstrates how industry is moving towards electrification as the most effective path to net-zero. It also follows the launch of the GCC in the UK earlier this month.
“As the GCC grows to include more international partners, we are excited to also have the peak Australian industry body join with us,” Jones said.
“We know that around one quarter of the country’s emissions come from the built environment, so we look forward to working with the Property Council, and our other founding partner, the Green Building Council of Australia, to promote our shared priorities.”
Property Council of Australia CEO, Mike Zorbas said joining the GCC reflects the Property Council’s long standing policy position of supporting a nationally harmonised approach to phase out fossil fuel gas in buildings and appliances.
“If we drive down our reliance on gas, we meet our emissions targets and make all Australian homes cheaper to run,” he said.
“As outlined in our Every Building Counts policy platform, we need policies now to support the widespread adoption of electric appliances which are readily available, supported by incentives that will help achieve a fair and equitable transition to a cleaner built environment.
“Every new building with gas will require a costly retrofit sooner rather than later. The National Construction Code 2025 should be clear – new buildings are all-electric with a plan in place for a managed phase out of fossil gas in existing buildings and appliances.”
The GCC is bringing together property companies, world-renowned chefs, government supporters and public health and climate experts, for the transition away from cooking with fossil fuels towards healthier, more affordable and more sustainable kitchens powered by renewable energy.
The GCC’s partners and members include Cbus Property, GPT, Frasers, Lendlease, Scape and Grosvenor Property UK, who have committed to phasing out gas in new kitchens in their developments by 2030 and retrofitting existing kitchens to be fossil fuel free by 2040.