University of Melbourne team to establish researcher network for decarbonising the building industry

A research team led by Professor Tuan Ngo will build a Researcher Network for Decarbonising the Building Industry (RNDBI), thanks to a $2 million Australian Government International Clean Innovation Researcher Networks grant.

FEIT Dean Professor Mark Cassidy said the new network will help meet the Australian Government's commitment to reducing emissions.

“The University of Melbourne is ideally placed to lead this initiative, given the outstanding research expertise and the University’s absolute commitment to contributing to a sustainable future,” Professor Cassidy said.

According to research from the International Energy Agency, the building industry is responsible for one-third of all carbon emissions worldwide.

Professor Ngo leads the Advanced Protective Technologies of Engineering Structures (APTES) Research Group, one of the leading centres in advanced materials, resilient and sustainable systems for buildings and infrastructure in the Asia Pacific region.

“We are excited to be able to develop this network, which we hope will involve a large consortium of universities, industry and government agencies, with whom we can share knowledge, facilitate research collaborations and create new understandings to tackle the challenges of decarbonising the building industry towards Net Zero by 2050,” Professor Ngo said.

Dr Behzad Rismanchi, a key member of the research team, said the RNDBI was poised to be instrumental in achieving Australia's 2030 and 2050 emission reduction benchmarks and climatic objectives by slashing the building industry's emissions.

The International Clean Innovation Researcher Networks scheme has funded five new projects, totalling $12.4 million, that seek to help Australian researchers collaborate globally on clean energy research and development.