The new Green Star – Design & As Built rating tool is now available and the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) says it will help create sustainable places for everyone.
The tool is a product of the collaboration between GBCA and hundreds of industry experts who provided input into the rating tool’s credit criteria, benchmarks and documentation requirements.
It will assess and certify completed buildings of all types and sizes, with an optional Design Review providing an early opportunity for project teams to promote their Green Star commitment.
The new tool will assess buildings on a variety of new credits including:
Adaptation and resilience: rewards buildings that are designed to be resilient in the face of a changing climate and extreme weather events.
Life cycle impacts: encourages the holistic reduction of environmental impacts of building materials.
Responsible building materials: recognises the use of building materials that have been sourced responsibly or have Chain of Custody certification.
Sustainable products: rewards projects that specify building products that can demonstrate their sustainability credentials through environmental product declarations and third-party certification.
Heat island effect: rewards projects that take steps to reduce their influence on the heat island effect in our cities.
Sustainable transport: includes new pathways to demonstrate sustainable transport initiatives, including a Google Maps-powered calculator and encourages walking and cycling.
“We have been determined to deliver a rating tool that is simple and cost-effective, and Green Star – Design & As Built includes easy-to-use templates, streamlined documentation and flexible ways to demonstrate compliance,” says Chief Executive of the GBCA, Romilly Madew.
“Green Star – Design & As Built will ensure Australia remains at the forefront of global green building practices, and will help us take another great stride forward as we move towards sustainable places for everyone.”
Projects can register for Green Star – Design & As Built by visiting the GBCA’s website: www.gbca.org.au
