2.2 Recommendation 

Meet Australia's present and future needs by establishing the quadruple bottom line as a goal for all infrastructure policy and investment. 

Proposed sponsor: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: State and territory environment departments

When this should impact:

Where this should impact:

2.2.1 Achieve consistency and shared ownership through embedding the quadruple-bottom-line into infrastructure decision-making frameworks. 

Proposed lead: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 

Supported by: Infrastructure investment assurance and assessment agencies, state and territory treasuries and state and territory infrastructure bodies

Ensure consistent understanding by adopting the quadruple-bottom-line definition of sustainability. 

Proposed lead: State and territory environment departments 

Supported by: State and territory infrastructure delivery agencies, state and territory infrastructure bodies and state and territory treasuries

Meet Australia's commitments to net zero through long-term sector-specific plans that set interim emissions reduction targets and strategies that prioritise infrastructure investments and services. 

Proposed lead: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources 

Supported by: State and territory environment departments, industry representative groups

Ensure consistent application of the quadruple-bottom-line at the strategic proposal development phase by embedding sustainability guidelines in investment frameworks and guidance materials. These should include considering sustainability when identifying problems, developing options and undertaking economic analysis. 

Proposed lead: State and territory treasuries 

Supported by: Infrastructure investment assurance and assessment agencies and state and territory infrastructure bodies

Facilitate national and cross-sectoral consistency by using quadruple-bottom-line guidelines to develop complementary, sector-specific sustainability principles and frameworks. 

Proposed lead: Infrastructure Australia 

Supported by: State and territory infrastructure bodies, infrastructure investment assurance and assessment agencies, state and territory treasuries and industry representative groups

Support common approaches to assessment, cross-sector collaboration, shared responsibility and best practice, and develop connections and networks, by forming a cross-jurisdictional sustainability group. 

Proposed lead: Infrastructure Australia 

Supported by: State and territory infrastructure bodies, infrastructure investment assurance and assessment agencies, state and territory infrastructure bodies, state and territory treasuries and industry representative groups

2.2.2 Deliver cost-effective emissions reduction and broad sustainability benefits consistent with the quadruple-bottom-line by prioritising energy efficiency in the built environment and social infrastructure. 

Proposed lead: State and territory social housing providers

Supported by: Community housing providers, state and territory education departments and state and territory housing departments

Identify potential to embed quadruple-bottom-line outcomes in social infrastructure assets by auditing existing social infrastructure assets and using Green Building Council of Australia's Green Star rating system, Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia IS Rating Scheme and NABERS tools. 

Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure departments

Ensure quadruple-bottom-line outcomes by introducing procurement standards. These should mandate sustainable performance, including energy efficiency measures and the electrification of appliances, for government-owned social infrastructure. 

Proposed lead: State and territory infrastructure departments

Ensure quadruple-bottom-line outcomes by accelerating performance upgrades to social infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and public and community housing stock. Prioritise the increased installation of solar PV, storage and smart meters in social housing. 

Proposed lead: State and territory housing departments, state and territory health infrastructure agencies, state and territory education departments

Improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions from new social infrastructure by increasing performance standards and updating the National Construction Code in line with the Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings. 

Proposed lead: Building Ministers Meeting 

Supported by: State and territory housing departments, Australian Building Codes Board, state and territory health infrastructure agencies, state and territory education departments, and state and territory government property agencies

Support ongoing monitoring and improvements in social housing by creating and implementing a work program for updating energy performance standards that streamlines approval processes and conducts regular reviews.

Proposed lead: State and territory energy departments

Ensure the built environment's emissions reduction pathway is understood and coordinated by establishing collaborative sectoral leadership groups, similar to the Better Buildings Partnership or the Materials and Embodied Carbon Leaders' Alliance. 

Proposed lead: State and territory environment departments 

Supported by: State and territory energy departments and state and territory transport departments

2.2.3 Deliver cost-effective emissions reduction and broad sustainability benefits consistent with the quadruple bottom line by managing zero emissions vehicle uptake and vehicle standards. 

Proposed lead: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

Ensure the uptake of electric vehicles at the right scale and time to optimise quadruple-bottom-line benefits by delivering a national electric vehicle strategy through the expansion of the Future Fuels Strategy. 

Proposed lead: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

Facilitate cost-effective emissions reductions by aligning vehicle emission standards with global best practice and requiring manufacturers to reduce emissions over vehicle portfolios. 

Proposed lead: Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources

Ensure national consistency and coordination by aligning state and territory strategies and actions to the national strategy, including targets and timelines for transitioning all government fleet vehicles to electric vehicles whenever they are fit-for-purpose. 

Proposed lead: State and territory finance departments 

Supported by: Australia, state and territory government fleet managers, and state and territory transport departments