Senior executives, organisations and entrepreneurs gathered at the neo-classical Exchange buildings for an informative session organised jointly by HSBC and the Malta Chamber of Commerce on the topic of ‘Establishing a Framework for Net Zero Buildings in Malta’.
During the opening statement, Marisa Xuereb, president of the Malta Chamber, provided some background into the main topic of the information session. She explained that office buildings have more untapped potential for quick conversion into net-zero buildings when compared to other non-residential buildings, such as industrial ones.
In her pre-recorded speech, Hon. Miriam Dalli alluded to impending regulatory changes on the building and construction sector. ‘There needs to be drastic changes to the conventional building techniques if we want to start viewing buildings as assets, rather than simple building blocks’, she said.
Hon. Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi also addressed the stakeholders assembled at the Sir Agostino Portelli Hall. In an extempore remark, the minister made reference to the portraits that adorn the ballroom walls in order to drive home that, no matter how much the notion of what is sustainable has changed throughout the years, pioneering minds have always moved forward.
Without failing to mention the importance of meeting the 2050 goals, the minister stressed that the lack of action in this regard is causing the loss of business opportunities, and urged believers in the cause to ‘spread the word’ about these initiatives throughout the sector. ‘Otherwise, we will be like the very first Christians, locked themselves in their quarters’. The Hon. also emphasised the urgency of introducing regulatory changes: ‘if there’s a sector in Malta that needs to be updated drastically, that should be the construction sector’.
A tale of three buildings
Buildings were the honorary guests of the symposium, with HSBC’s flagship net-zero office building in Qormi as its main protagonist. The building has undergone extensive changes and is currently subject to a joint study by HSBC Malta and the Malta Chamber with the aims set on translating a model physical structure into a framework for net-zero carbon buildings.
Ing. Abigail Cutajar, technical manager in charge of the project and advisor to minister Dalli, delivered an update on the progress and achievements reached so far. The study was divided into four work packages. The first one dealt with analysing the status quo by evaluating the national office building stock and setting up meetings with key stakeholders. Through clustering analysis, 7 buildings were selected out of 250 office spaces. In work package 2, the HSBC head office premises were chosen to carry out building energy modelling on the baseline building, and energy conservation measures were identified for buildings undergoing major renovation.
The second work package is still ongoing, with the financial and macroeconomic feasibility assessment of energy conservation measures, identification of cost-optimal measures, and LEED assessment scheduled for the near future. Once completed, work package 3 will review existing regulations, put forward proposals for policy adoption, and explore sustainable financing mechanisms. Work package 4 will consist of dissemination and promotion efforts.
Ing. Cutajar insisted that it is crucial to ensure the existence of financial mechanisms necessary to make retrofitting projects feasible, insofar as 97% of the EU’s buildings must be upgraded to achieve the 2050 goals.
Two other retrofitting projects made their guest appearance during the meeting. Hon. Zrinzo Azzopardi mentioned Project House, a building that goes back to the 90s and which was retrofitted into an energy efficient building. Likewise, Marthese Portelli, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, presented the Exchange Building on which the meeting was being conducted to illustrate the efforts that the Chamber is undertaking in terms of carbon neutrality. Although the retrofitting measures available are limited on account of the historic nature of the building, the installation of energy-efficient lights, apertures, insulation, and 52 solar panels has made possible to save 14 metric tons of CO2 per year.
Policy proposals
The Chamber is advocating for a series of measures to steer the industry into the path of net zero. In terms of the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive, it is encouraging the Government to make certain that the whole industry is aware of the measures that are introduced.
This means that contractors, developers, periti and businesses throughout the value chain need to be cognizant of the measures. Besides, special attention must be paid to the labelling and certification of products and systems to ensure that the client has full information about what they are acquiring.
The Chamber also believes in the introduction of a point system which differentiates between planning applications and fast tracks those that contribute positively towards the environment (e.g., renewables, energy efficiency, passive cooling designs, inclusion of water cisterns & domestic, water recycling systems, reconstituted or recycled building materials, and proper water piping to benefit from recycled grey water for flushing).
It also wants to help introduce a new regulatory framework for the construction industry. In this respect, the licensing of contractors should not be circumscribed to their demonstrable skills, but it should also include knowledge about systems and materials. In addition, the fabrication, assembly, and installation of components should be certified.
Last but not least, the Chamber is a proponent of a series of fiscal incentives destined to boost further adoption of sustainability-related measures. A reduction in withholding tax for companies investing in green buildings, and tax credits for buyers, renovators, developers, and contractors that abide by sustainability obligations are some of the incentives proposed.
Feedback is welcome
During her intervention, Ms. Portelli extended an invitation to all present for a future discussion session on the topic of the National Strategy for the Environment 2050 (NSE), which will be held at the same place the 17th January, 2023.
Claire Cordina Borg, deputy director at the Environment and Resources Authority, welcomed the invitation, and thanked Ms. Portelli and the Chamber for the feedback provided during the consultation stage of the NSE. She also expressed her appreciation towards HSBC for their impetus on the implementation of the net-zero building framework project.
She added that showcasing the implementability of such a project serves as inspiration for other businesses to embark on similar endeavours.
During the concluding remarks, Perit David Xuereb echoed the minister’s sentiment of a conservative construction sector stuck to long-expired formulas, and commended HSBC for ‘walking the talk’ and taking responsibility and accountability towards themselves, their customers and stakeholders, employees, and society at large.
Updates and further information about the summit’s developments can be followed on the official blog and on its social media channels.