Australia’s transformation towards a more sustainable built environment has reached a significant milestone, with a new report from Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) indicating a rapidly growing demand for Green Star certification across every major building type in the 2024-25 financial year.

According to GBCA’s Green Star: A Year in Focus FY2024–25 report, the past financial year marked the most active period in the program’s history, underscoring how sustainability is now firmly embedded in the building design and construction industry, which is increasingly shaping an energy-efficient, healthier and more resilient built environment.

Despite a climate of global uncertainty, almost 2000 certifications were achieved across communities, buildings, performance and interiors during the past financial year. Collectively, these projects are delivering tangible outcomes at scale, including reduced energy use, improved indoor environmental quality and more resilient buildings across Australia.

The report shows strong momentum across all sectors, including hospitals, sporting facilities, offices, homes and retail stores, observes GBCA’s Chief Impact Officer Jorge Chapa.

“This year has shown us that sustainability is no longer an after-thought to the built environment, but embedded into its DNA, welcoming a new normal for the industry and Australians,” he says.

“Whether it’s the certification of an all-electric aquatic centre or a community that highlights the best of adaptive reuse and high performing homes – industry has taken the challenge of creating systemic change in the built environment, head on.”

The report highlights a wide range of Green Star-certified projects that reflect this diversity of application including Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre, Centina Guild Terrace Townhouses, Embassy of Australia, Washington D.C., ESR Australia & NZ performance portfolio, and The Reef Authority.

“The certifications that we are seeing are a result of industry valuing Green Star for all the benefits it brings to them. It has also been wonderful to see governments recognise that well-built, sustainable buildings that meet Australia’s leading standard provide value,” Chapa adds.

Green Star certification is now embedded across all levels of the Australian government – within policy and sustainable finance mechanisms – with certifications being targeted and achieved across a range of building types, the report notes.

At the Commonwealth level, the Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy includes a preference for all-electric buildings in new office leases and Green Star ratings for future office buildings that are purchased or constructed. The Western Australian Treasury Corporation’s Sustainability Bond Framework formally recognises Green Star certification, while in New South Wales, the Net Zero Government Operations Policy mandates Green Star ratings for all new buildings and fitouts valued above $10 million.

Beyond certifications, the report also points to the growing impact of GBCA’s Future Focus tools. Since their launch in 2020, more than 700 buildings, with a combined value exceeding $20 billion, have registered under the tools, collectively avoiding at least four million tonnes of carbon emissions. These include more than 140 government projects using the Green Star Buildings tool to future-proof public assets.

With more than 7,000 certifications issued to date, Green Star continues to be Australia’s rating tool of choice for sustainable buildings.

Image: The Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre is the first 100% renewable energy-powered, zero greenhouse gas-emitting aquatic centre in Australia. (Source: https://www.gbca.au/wp-content/uploads/GBCA-FY2024-25.pdf)

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