Inside Green Star, 30th edition, May 2026

Inside Green Star - A word from Elham Monavari, Head of Green Star Strategic Delivery

We can hardly believe that it’s almost the mid-way point for 2026. And since we love hearing from you, it’s a good time for us to pause and reflect on how we’re doing, and how satisfied the industry is with Green Star.  

In last year’s Green Star Satisfaction Survey, you acknowledged Green Star's role in transforming industry and appreciate our customer service. To better support you, you asked for more guidance on details of credits, improve the way common approaches are addressed; and additional technical guidance.  

In response we’ve:   

• Published offline resources so you can better collaborate as a project team 

• Published over 60 FAQs 

• Published over 80 resources on the Resources Portal, including case study templates, leadership challenges, guidance on engaging Green Star consultants 

• Launched Green Building Forums with a greater focus on case studies, and technical approaches to meeting Green Star credits requirements 

• Launched Green Star Resources Newsletter to supplement Inside Green Star. This newsletter will streamline you finding the technical resources you need for your projects.   

As part of our commitment to continuously improve, this year’s Green Star Satisfaction Survey will shortly be sent out. Please take time to complete the survey. Together we'll keep delivering the sustainable transformation of the built environment.  

Understanding the 2030 Climate Positive Pathway requirements  

Green Star Buildings aims to drive the built environment to be net zero carbon in operations by considering both operational and embodied carbon emissions. Its goal is to ensure Australia can deliver all new buildings to be net zero carbon in operations from 2030 onwards. The approach to net zero carbon buildings in Green Star Buildings is known as the Climate Positive Pathway.  

Climate Positive Pathway (CPP) requirements increase in stringency over time dependent upon the date of registration, or practical completion (in Green Star Buildings v1) for projects that achieve PC from1 January 2030 onwards. Now that registrations have closed for Buildings v1, it is important that project teams understand the Climate Positive Pathway rules that will apply to their Buildings v1 registered projects. 

Alongside the Green Star Buildings Submission Guidelines, which set out the Climate Positive Pathway requirements, the GBCA has published two important updates: 

1. The scheduled 2026 Climate Positive Pathway rules will not come into effect for any star rating. For more information see FAQ F-00544 Update on the 2026 Climate Positive Pathway Rules in Green Star Buildings v1  

Note that projects that reach practical completion after 1st January 2030 are still expected to meet the 2030 Climate Positive Pathway requirements, regardless of the project's registration date.  

2. The Submission Guidelines state that projects certified after 1st January 2030 are required to meet the Climate Positive Pathway requirements. This has been changed so that instead, projects that reach practical completion after 1st January 2030 are to meet the 2030 Climate Positive Pathway requirements, regardless of the project's registration date. See FAQ F-00372 Changes to the Climate Positive Pathway requirements for 2030  

Projects registered under Green Star Buildings v1 are welcome to consider upgrading to v1.1. If you have any questions about how the 2030 CPP rules apply to your registered project, or wish to discuss upgrading, please contact the GBCA Market Engagement Team.

Green Star Communities transitions to v2 

From 1st July, all new projects will be required to register under Green Star Communities v2, with v1.1 registrations closing on 30th  June. To register under v1.1, projects must lodge the online registration agreement and pay the certification fee by 30 June. To support the transition, the Green Star Communities v2 Advanced course equips project teams with the practical knowledge to apply the new tool — from understanding updated requirements through to navigating certification with confidence.

CPD reminder: Stay on track with your Green Star accreditation 

The CPD deadline is fast approaching. Green Star Associates (GSA) and Accredited Professionals (GSAP) should review their CPD status now and plan any remaining learning. 

To maintain your accreditation, you must earn the required CPD points by 30 June. Check your current points and what you still need in your portal.  

If you still need to build your points, you can top up by booking a course or webinar, complete on‑demand learning, or submit a request for sustainable development points or eligible Green Star project involvement. 

Offline resources now available for Buildings v1.1  

The next version of Green Star Buildings is now live and from 1 May onwards, all new projects are required to register under Buildings v1.1. To access the latest resources, please visit the Green Star Resources portal by logging into the GBCA dashboard then going to My Resources and selecting the Green Star Buildings v1.1 in the Rating Tool filter. The resources currently available include specific credit resources and preview versions of the offline calculators, stepped points calculators and submission templates. A list of the available resources and the resources under development can be found on our Buildings v1.1 landing page.

Final versions of the preview versions will be made available prior to the release of the Buildings v1.1 Submission Portal in the second half of this year but will remain as offline resources that are submitted via the Submission portal for assessment. Changes between the preview version and the final version will be background changes and should have minimal impact on format and inputs in the preview versions. The creation of an online demo project for Buildings v1.1 will be available following the release of the Buildings v1.1 Submission Portal. To understand the key updates in Buildings v1.1, a short course for existing GSAPs will be held on 10 June.  

Join the Sustainable Data Centres Working Group

Data centres are the backbone of Australia's digital economy — and their environmental footprint is growing just as fast as demand. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is establishing the Sustainable Data Centres Working Group to help shape its Sustainable Data Centres Program for this rapidly evolving sector. 

The Working Group will advise the GBCA on technical guidance, thought leadership, and the potential development of a Green Star certification pathway for data centres. Members will bring expertise from across the sector — including developers, operators, consultants, builders, utilities, investors, and government — to ensure Australia's digital infrastructure leads on ESG. 

We're looking for experienced professionals and emerging leaders alike with experience in data centre development and operation. We're committed to building a diverse group that reflects a range of backgrounds, locations, career stages, and perspectives.  

The Working Group meets quarterly with additional meetings as required, and focus groups convened as needed. In most cases, nominees must be from a GBCA member organisation. 

To understand the full scope of the role before applying, please review the Working Group's Terms of Reference.

Nominations Open: WorldGBC Asia Pacific Awards 

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Awards, recognising outstanding organisations, projects, and individuals driving the transition to sustainable and net zero built environments across the region. There are 8 categories available, spanning existing and new buildings, organisations, and individuals. Submissions close 26 June 2026. 

We want your feedback on refrigerants 

The long-term challenges posed by refrigerants have given the topic a renewed focus in Buildings v1.1. We have extended the deadline to provide feedback for our Freeze Frame discussion paper until 29 May.