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Australia’s property and construction industry has achieved a unique milestone with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) certifying its 1000th Green Star project.

GBCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Romilly Madew observes that GBCA has certified more than 14 million square metres of building and precinct space since the Green Star program was launched in 2003. She commented that the industry has delivered 1000 remarkable, sustainable Green Star projects all over Australia through innovation, technology and knowledge sharing.

According to Madew, these Green Star certified projects include more than 8.1 million square metres of office space, equivalent to all the existing Premium and A Grade office space in the Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide CBDs combined.

She noted that more than half a million Australians now work in Green Star-rated offices, representing 4.5 per cent of the country’s total workforce, or more people than the populations of Canberra or Newcastle. These people now enjoy workplaces that are better for their health as well as for the environment.

Additionally, more than 4,400 people now live in Green Star-rated apartments and upwards of 16,800 students learn in Green Star-certified schools. GBCA has also certified a growing number of Green Star – Communities projects, which will be home to more than 80,000 people, exceeding the population of Rockhampton.

GBCA also applauded the efforts of every person who specified, commissioned, designed, constructed, manufactured products for, occupied or managed a Green Star building or community for their commitment to transforming Australia’s buildings, cities and communities.

In terms of environmental benefits, these 1000 Green Star certifications save the equivalent of 128,000 average households’ electricity use, and 625,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year, equivalent to removing 175,000 cars from the roads.