INSTALLING skylights can raise the star ratings for buildings as they reduce energy usage as well as greenhouse gas emissions, according to The Council of Australian Governments (COAG).
Research has shown skylights reduce the dependence on artificial lighting and can also reduce the energy used for heating and cooling a building.
The Australian Building Codes Board recommends skylight to floor ratio of up to five per cent.
According to the Board, skylights installed in commercial premises that adhere to this standard ratio can save considerable amounts of emissions.
For instance a school or office floor could save two to three tonnes of emissions per year, a supermarket or warehouse 2.5 to four tonnes and a shopping centre or airport terminal could save 20 to 200 tonnes per year.
The potential savings could add up to 4 or 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, research has shown.
This becomes particularly significant as COAG recently announced all residential homes and commercial buildings built after May 2011 will need a minimum six-star energy efficiency rating to promote more energy efficient buildings and reduce carbon emissions.
The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which will apply to all Australian businesses will require facilities emitting 25 kilo tonnes or more of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) per year to report and purchase a permit for every tonne of CO2-e released.
The aim of the scheme is to encourage businesses to reduce the amount of pollution they produce.
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