Intervention by the Reserve Bank of Australia on foreign exchange markets from 1983 to 1997 is conjectured to have been determined by exchange rate trend correction, exchange rate volatility smoothing, the US and Australian overnight interest rate differentials, profitability and foreign currency reserve inventory considerations. Using Probit and friction models, we show that these factors were significant influences on intervention behavior. Consistent with the constraint of intervening only when a clear trend is apparent, we find that above average measures of deviations from trend and of volatility muted the response of the Reserve Bank.

The principles of sustainability in the healthcare building sector are perceived differently by different healthcare building user groups. Based on a cross-sectional survey of hospital patients, staff, visitors and members of the public, this study found that issues relating to transport and accessibility were perceived as “more significant” by respondents compared to how they are currently weighted in the Australian Green Star–Healthcare building rating tool. Environmental impacts relating to emissions to air and water were also identified as “more significant” by the healthcare building users than their Green Star weighting would suggest. Indoor environmental quality has been acknowledged as the highest priority in choosing a healthcare building by the survey respondents. It is also one of the two priority categories given in Green Star in terms of weighting, which suggests that the Green Star–Healthcare rating tool aligns well with healthcare building user perspectives on this particular measure, which is linked to faster recovery rates of hospital patients.

With the changing trends in global climate and increasing awareness of the environmental impact of the built environment, private and public sector building stakeholders are under constant and mounting pressure to reduce carbon emissions, energy consumption and waste generation. Conceptually, green building regulations are claimed to be the most effective tool toward promoting better environmental outcomes. Nonetheless, there is limited empirical evidence to justify claims for their effectiveness, especially in the Australian context, despite the introduction of various green building standards and regulations over the past two decades. In addressing this gap, this research aims to map the energy consumption and carbon emissions of certified offices under the mandatory Commercial Building Disclosure program. For this, the energy and carbon efficiencies of green certified commercial offices within the eight Australian central business districts (CBD) for 2011–2020 were assessed, and the offices were classified as green and non-green offices, based on their National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) of fewer than 4, and 4 and above stars, respectively. Data were extracted from the Commercial Building Disclosure program datasheet and thereafter analysed using various descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Furthermore, the normalisation process was undertaken to capture the relative changes in energy and environmental performance between green and non-green offices. The results show an encouraging trend of a possible significant improvement in energy savings, and a reduction in carbon emissions for offices that have undergone retrofit and obtained an increase in their NABERS ratings. However, it is notable that 6-star NABERS-certified offices sometimes tend to save less energy than their 4- and 5-star rated counterparts, despite their high initial investment costs. Thus, this informs policymakers, authorities and practitioners that the highest NABERS rating does not necessarily help reduce energy consumption in buildings, and that greater emphasis should be placed on promoting the use of a whole building design approach, by exploring a more effective and appropriate combination of features, systems and materials based on stakeholders’ needs and behaviours.

Mandatory green building regulations are often considered as the most effective tool to promote better energy efficiency and environmental protection. Nevertheless, its effectiveness compared to the voluntary counterpart has not been fully explored yet. In addressing this gap, this study aims to examine the environmental performance of green building stocks affected by the Australian mandatory building energy disclosure program. To this, this study analysed energy savings and carbon reduction efficiencies using the normalisation approach. The result shows that mandatory energy disclosure program did contribute to the reduction in energy usage and carbon emissions from the affected building stocks. More specifically, affected green building stocks showed a good efficiency especially in carbon reductions. The research results inform policymakers the possible improvement required for the mandatory disclosure program to increase the effectiveness towards dealing with the contemporary environmental issues aroused from the building sector, especially in energy savings perspective.