11 Jul 2024
The Early Access Program aims to:
Expressions of Interest will open Monday 15th July 2024. Applications will close on Friday 26th July at 5pm. GBCA will announce the Early Access Program members on the 9th of August 2024.
The program will accept fitout projects based on size and typologies, and sector (offices, retail, education, hospitality, or similar). Volume fitout projects will also be considered.
Successful applicants will need a dedicated team ready to support the submission, and provide input on draft credits in approximately September - November 2024. The aim of the program is to get feedback on applying the rating tool before public release in the second half of 2025. GBCA will also seek feedback on the process of submission and the development of the online submission portal.
In September 2023 GBCA consulted with industry to seek feedback on the proposed vision for the new Green Star Fitouts rating tool. The survey covered items such as the focus on circularity, the types of sectors covered, volume approach as well as proposed categories, minimum expectations and star rating structure.
Engagement for the Green Star Fitouts scoping consultation was high, and 90 unique submissions were received. Of those 90 submissions, 75% of those who submitted were from member organisations, and 25% were from non-member organisations and 80 different organisations were represented.
All questions posed were given majority support, with a few standout items:
There are big changes happening at GBCA as we continue to make obtaining a Green Star rating as efficient, and user-friendly as possible.
The Green Star team is excited to announce the development of the Site-Wide Credits approach, a Green Star certification pathway that will allow you to streamline documentation requirements if there are multiple buildings in the same site boundary seeking certifications. In other words, where your projects are located on the same site and share common elements, such as a project team, infrastructure or common policies, a Site-Wide credits approach can be established to assess any relevant elements just once for the entire site.
There are different certification pathways available to streamline your eligible projects, including portfolio, which is Performance specific, and volume certification pathway, to name a few. You can learn more about the certification pathways available to you by clicking here.
If you would like to discuss your eligibility for any of the pathways, please contact the GBCA’s Market Engagement team who will gladly help you!
For those working on certifying with Green Star Buildings, we have plenty of resources available. Whether you are just starting the Green Star journey or supplying the business case to your team, our brochures created for developers, investors, occupiers, leasing agents, as well as on the business case for Green Star Buildings, hold key information to assist you. More of these targeted brochures will be created for future focused rating tools as they are released.
As always, the Green Star team is just one phone call away, ready to assist you on your certification journey.
The Green Star Champions showcase Australian excellence in their chosen fields, all with one common goal: the sustainable transformation of our built environment. We're excited to announce the Green Star Champions of 2024, each and every recipient has demonstrated tireless dedication to the creation of healthy and efficient places that respond to the challenge that is climate change.
GBCA has released bulk calculators for portfolio submissions under Green Star – Performance v1.2.
The bulk calculators are available for the following pathways under the Credit 15 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Credit 19 Potable Water:
These bulk upload calculators replace the need for portfolios to complete multiple calculators for a specific pathway being targeted. The calculators were developed so that project teams may save time when submitting for Green Star Performance certification and submit a single calculator for multiple buildings.
Explore more resourcesGreen Star Communities aims to drive more sustainable outcomes at the precinct scale. It provides a clearer definition of a sustainable precinct and sets a pathway for decarbonisation at a precinct scale.
Thank you for your feedback
Last year we consulted widely on the proposed credits and approach for the tool. This consisted of a series of webinars, and seeking detailed feedback through a Summary Paper and proposed credits contained within consultation papers for each category. We were pleased to receive feedback from a diverse array of stakeholders, and since that consultation we have been reviewing feedback and further developing the technical requirements.
Technical release: We aim to release the Submission Guidelines in the coming months. We will keep you updated on the timing.
Open for registrations and submission: Registrations will be open in December 2025. We anticipate we will be able to take submissions for assessment by this date as well.
Please look out for further announcements on Green Star Communities v2 over the coming months, and if you have any questions please contact the Market Engagement Team.
Email the teamFAQ F-00384 Are car sharing parking spaces required in Green Star Buildings v1?
FAQ F-00380 Can Changing Facilities be on a different level to End Of Trip Facilities?
FAQ F-00379 What scope is included for Responsible Construction and Inclusive Construction Practices credits?
FAQ F-00378 Are projects with a GFA less than 1000sqm exempt from the Enjoyable Places credit?
FAQ F-00377 Do heat pump clothes dryers need to be vented to the outside?