CPD Program for Green Star

Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning Development, VIC. University of Melbourne. 6 Star Green Star - Education Design v1.

Earn accreditation to help with your projects

The Green Star Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program aims to expand industry professionals’ knowledge of the Green Star rating system and provide those working on and delivering Green Star projects with the required skills.

Our program offers two levels of accreditation:

1. Green Star Associate (GSA)

The GSA acknowledges the commitment of those who support green design, construction and operation, but who are not directly involved in Green Star project work or submissions.  

GSAs can play a strong role in organisational commitment to the built environment, sustainability, and help communicate the language of sustainability. At the completion of the Green Star Advanced Training you will be recognised as a GSA.  

Requirements: 

  • Attend a Green Star Foundations course 
  • Attend a Green Star Advanced course 
  • No exam required 
  • Re-enrol into the CPD program (your initial enrolment is included in the Green Star Advanced course) 
  • Maintain 8 CPD points each year 
    • A minimum of 4 Green Star points is required. The remaining 4 CPD points can be achieved through any combination of Sustainable Development or Green Star points
    • CPD point requirements will be pro-rated the first year based on the time of enrolment

Keen to get started? Check when our next Green Star Foundations course is here.

2. Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP)

Becoming a GSAP puts you on the forefront of sustainability in the built environment.   

As a GSAP you'll be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to become a confident leader in guiding projects through Green Star certification:  

  • Assist with compiling the Green Star project submission   
  • Lead the Green Star project submission     
  • Act as project primary or secondary contact & receive CPD points for contribution     
  • Communicate directly with our Green Star team regarding project submissions     
  • Present Green Star case studies and site tours to industry professionals     
  • Join our exclusive Green Star Accredited Professional Directory

Requirements:

  • Attend a Green Star Foundations course 
  • Attend a Green Star Advanced course 
  • Pass online exam 
  • Re-enrol into the CPD program (your initial enrolment is included in the Green Star Advanced course) 
  • Maintain 15 CPD points each year
    • A minimum of 5 Green Star points is required. The remaining 10 CPD points can be achieved through any combination of Sustainable Development or Green Star points
    • 4 CPD points will be pro-rated the first year based on the time of enrolment

Keen to get started? Check when our next Green Star Foundations course is here.

Green Star accreditation pathway

Maintaining your accreditation

Given the changing nature of the industry, GSAs and GSAPs must meet certain requirements every year in order to maintain accreditation.  

  1. Accrue the minimum required CPD points every year
  2. Re-enrol into the CPD program and pay the fee

GSAs and GSAPs can maintain their qualification through a combination of the following activities: 

  • Green Star points: points earned through GBCA courses, events or work on Green Star projects 
  • Sustainable Development points: earned through (non-GBCA) industry relevant / approved learning activities. This includes: attending events, courses, University/TAFE, Authorship of article/book or presenting. 

Please note that if you have not accrued the minimum required CPD points, your accreditation will lapse and this will show as a gap on your accreditation certificate.  

Please check our current CPD Policy below.

CPD program 

Individual CPD program

The annual CPD cycle commences on 1 July and ends on 30 June each year. 

Your first CPD enrolment is free and starts with your attendance to a Green Star Advanced course. The CPD points requirement for that first year is prorated based on the time of enrolment (i.e. purchase and attendance to a Green Star Advanced course). 

The following years, an annual re-enrolment fee is due at the time of renewal (from 1 July to 30 September). 

The fees for the 2023-2024 financial year is $110 (members) or $165 (non-members).  

A late fee of $30 is applied for re-enrolment from 1 October.  


Corporate CPD program

The GBCA offers an annual corporate CPD subscription to all GBCA member organisations.  

Corporate CPD subscription will allow an unlimited number of staff to enrol into the CPD program for the current CPD cycle. At the time of enrolment, a corporate CPD contact must be nominated. The corporate CPD contact can view the details of all staff who enrol under the organisation’s CPD subscription and their individual CPD point status in their dashboard on the GBCA website.  

If an organisation enrols during a running CPD cycle, the organisation will pay a prorated enrolment fee based on the number of months until the commencement of next annual CPD period on 1 July.  

Annual subscription fee is $2,750 incl gst. 

A CPD corporate fee is different from and separate to GBCA membership fee.

Further questions?

Read our FAQs Contact the team