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Net zero for your building portfolio

This course is your roadmap for net zero buildings. It will equip you with the knowledge and frameworks to develop a compelling net zero strategy for your buildings portfolio and take your first steps towards reducing emissions.

As the effects of climate change increasingly impact our daily lives, there is growing consensus that every country, sector and organisation needs to take action to reduce carbon emissions and avert the worst impacts of climate change.

The built environment is at the forefront of this transition. It contributes significantly to global emissions, and for many organisations their building related emissions are a material part of their carbon footprint. Fortunately, most of the technology required to change this is readily available and organisations stand to gain many financial and strategic benefits by taking action.

Monash University was the first Australian university to commit to a net zero target. As Australia’s largest university, this put us on a track to decarbonise over 150 buildings spread across five Australian campuses, as well as transforming our energy and resource consumption. Within five years, we cut our greenhouse gas emissions per square metre by 44%. Let us share our UN-award-winning knowledge and experiences with you, to help you cut through the complexity and go straight to the solutions.

The course will provide practical decision-making guidance with real world case studies to illustrate key considerations in decarbonising the properties that you own, manage, occupy or are planning to build.

On completion you'll be able to

Develop an ambitious and credible net zero strategy to deliver meaningful emissions reductions across your buildings portfolio.
Identify what information is required, how to use that information, and what support may be required from experts in order to develop a detailed implementation plan.
Prioritise actions for energy efficiency and electrification that will support you to achieve net zero.
Understand the process for evaluating opportunities, technologies, solutions and associated financing options that can deliver net zero for the built environment in the most cost effective way.
Articulate ways to engage key stakeholders and the wider community in successfully implementing your net zero buildings strategy.

Over 8 weeks, you will not only be guided through a process of considering why and how to begin your net zero journey, but you will also be tasked with developing a high level strategy and taking immediate action to implement solutions.

What you'll learn

Drawing from international and national best practice, evidence and expertise, including Monash’s experience in developing and implementing a net zero strategy, the course will cover a wide range of topics, such as:

Pathways and timelines for a net zero economic transition in key industries
Best practice in corporate climate commitments
Essential elements of a net zero buildings strategy
Understanding and measuring key emission sources in your portfolio
Solutions and technologies that will improve building energy efficiency
Available options for energy generation, storage and demand control
Evaluating the cost-benefit of projects and plans
Innovative financing models
Strategies to engage stakeholders.

Academics and industry experts will guide you through the process so that you walk away with a strategy and a clear plan for what’s next.

Explore the modules View

Week 1: Getting started and understanding the changing context for business

The first week provides an opportunity to get familiar with the course, meet your fellow participants and refresh your understanding of the climate crisis.

Week 2: What's in a net zero building strategy?

To begin, you will gain an understanding of the organisational risks and opportunities presented by climate change, how to consider different types of emissions and what makes a good strategy.

Week 3: Understanding your starting point

Week 3 introduces the types of data you require to analyse what business as usual looks like for your portfolio, thereby helping you to identify key emission sources for your buildings.

Week 4: Building emissions and decarbonisation opportunities

This week, you will focus on the solutions already available to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of your buildings, and reduce emissions by switching your fuel sources.

Week 5: Net zero energy supply

In week 5, you will look at practical options for sourcing net zero energy supply - considering generation, storage and demand-side management.

Week 6: Evaluating the strategy

At this point, you will investigate how to package and sequence your net zero approach, consider the tangible and intangible benefits of your strategy, and identify potential financing options.

Week 7: Implementation and change management

For the final week of coursework, you will identify ways to engage key stakeholders in the process and implementation of your strategy, considering how the initiative will be governed, how you might influence the behaviour of others, and how you might monitor and adapt your approach.

Week 8: Your net zero buildings strategy and immediate next steps

To close the course, you will focus on compelling your net zero buildings strategy in order to get buy-in to your vision and seek the approval and resources you need to get down to business.

Details

Who should attend

The course is recommended for those working in the property and building management sectors or people responsible for driving emission reductions in organisations with a significant building footprint. This includes:

Property owners and managers
Developers and planners
People in facilities and operations teams
Professionals in the built environment sector
Local government or council representatives with a property remit
Representatives from companies with a large building stock.

The online and flexible format of the course will particularly suit those in the workplace, as well as students located within Australia and beyond.

Course structure

The course is designed to be completed over 8 weeks, self-paced. Each week will feature case studies that share Monash’s own experience and lessons learned, and there will be videos, readings, reflection questions, fact sheets and opportunities for peer engagement. Each week, you will also be adding to your net zero buildings strategy document. This will take a minimum of 6 hours per week to complete.

There will also be two live, facilitated workshops with your peers and a subject expert during the course, and optional further readings each week to deep dive on specific issues and topics, and refer back to as you need.

If you fulfil the program requirements - such as responding to questions and completing activities - you will receive an attendance certificate at the end of the course.

Program dates and times

Early 2024

8 weeks, approx. 6-10 hours per week.

Program fee

$2,200 (incl. GST)

20% discount for Monash alumni. To access the discount code visit the Alumni portal.

Course facilitators

Expert contributors include:

Core development team:

Further questions? Read our FAQs FAQs.

Monash Sustainable Development Institute