Councillor HY William Chan

Councillor HY William Chan is an architect and policymaker accelerating a net-zero transition for Australian cities. William is elected to chair City of Sydney council’s committees for urban planning and development, transport, heritage, environment, and sustainability. He successfully introduced innovative Australian-first policies in government, capturing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact within the built environment.

William gained unanimous support to pass urban planning controls that achieve net-zero operational commercial buildings from 2026, incorporating performance standards, renewable energy targets, and offsite renewables purchase for Greater Sydney and NSW, in addition to Sydney’s urban forest policies to tackle urban heat by doubling green cover, while using geo-spatial technology to ensure species’ climate resilience for 2050.

He represented over 200 Australian municipalities to align national climate targets through multi-level government collaboration in the lead-up to the UN Climate Change Conference – COP27. He also played an influential advocacy role championing renters and social housing residents on behalf of 100 industry leaders, which led to the energy-efficiency of homes increasing from 6 to 7 Stars in the 2023 National Construction Code.

Passionate about the future of the circular economy, William has developed a digital circular materials passport for the construction industry and is a co-founder of a climate-tech start-up that upcycles plastic waste into building material in disadvantaged urban communities.