Green building grants

Helps make existing buildings more resource efficient and achieve net zero.

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Applications are open

Applications close: 27 September 2022.
Project timeline: projects can start from 1 January 2023.
Recommendations taken to Council for approval: 21 November 2022.

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About this program

Our green building grants program supports owners’ corporations and building owners in the residential and accommodation sector to undertake environmental ratings, certifications, audits and assessments for existing buildings to be resource efficient and achieve net zero emissions by 2035.

Funding can support:

NABERS, Green Start Performance or EarthCheck assessment and/or certification
energy audits that conform to the AS3598 standard
residential energy/water/waste assessments
renewables/electrification feasibility assessments
net zero action plans.

Our funding will prioritise projects that:
- drive existing residential buildings to be resource efficient and achieve net zero emissions
- enable buildings in key sectors to improve their environmental performance.
We encourage applications from organisations that support Aboriginal and Torres and Strait Islander communities and culture, including Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and networks.
Proposals are assessed against:
- evidence of the need for the project and proposed outcomes
- capacity and experience of the applicant to deliver the project
- demonstrated connection and benefit to the local area and community
- evidence of diversity, inclusion and equity in the planning and delivery of the project
- how the project delivers against the funding priorities.
For comprehensive information, including definitions and other details, refer to the grants and sponsorship program guidelines.

To see what projects have been awarded our grants and sponsorships in the past, please search for grants in our statutory returns annual reports.

Sustainable Sydney 2030-2050 Continuing the Vision outlines the goals we have set to make the city green, global and connected.

Funding available

Cash funding up to $15,000 is available per project.

For-profit organisations are required to match the funding requested with cash (value-in-kind will not be accepted).

Eligibility

To be eligible an applicant must be an owners’ corporation of an existing residential strata building or the owner of an existing building in the accommodation sector in the City of Sydney’s local area.

These organisations can apply:
- Not-for-profit organisations
- For-profit organisations
- Owners’ corporation.
The application must be for works on one of these building types:
- residential strata
- accommodation (hotels, hostels and serviced apartments).
For more information on eligibility see the eligibility section in the grants and sponsorship guidelines.
Funding is not available for:
- applications from new buildings
- applications from commercial office or entertainment building types
- applications from for-profit organisations that do not provide evidence of matched cash funding for the project
- instances where a NABERS rating is required by government including under the commercial building disclosure scheme (at point of sale or lease)
- projects that directly contravene the eligibility and ethics framework or existing City of Sydney policies
- capital expenditure or capital works.