The City of Sydney Council is breaking the mould to become the first local government in the country to compel developers to build energy efficient buildings in Australia’s economic engine room.

The changes, endorsed unanimously by the council this week, require new office buildings, hotels, shopping centres and other commercial buildings to comply with minimum energy ratings from January next year and to target net-zero energy use from 2026.

Sydney mayor Clover Moore said it was an Australian first that would ensure “buildings are part of the transition to net-zero emissions”.