25 Mar 2026
It takes a village to build change - A word from Taryn Cornell, Senior Manager Strategy & Development
This past week I have been reflecting on TRANSFORM 2026 and the conversations I had with attendees, speakers and colleagues across two incredible, information packed days. In a global environment that often feels divisive and fractured, coming together with like-minded people from all over the country, and even the world, felt like re-energisation that we needed.
My personal highlight was Dr Jefa Greenaway’s keynote where he reminded us that we don’t build on Country, we design for, with and of Country. A nuanced distinction that remained imprinted on my mind long after his address came to a close. Based on my conversations with others, I believe I can say I am not alone in that.
We had a few key releases and Green Star updates to share at TRANSFORM, but on the off chance that you missed them, here is a quick summary.
Nature had it’s much deserved moment in the sun with the long-awaited release of The Nature Positive Roadmap for the built environment: Trajectories for new developments. This builds on years of consultation with industry, First Nations stakeholders, experts in biodiversity and community stakeholders, to set out clear direction for new developments to help our industry protect, restore and regenerate nature.
Green Star Fitouts is finally live, and not only do we have a world-first circularity category, the appetite for this rating tool from industry (demonstrated by our early access projects) shows that the industry collectively recognises the scale of the opportunity that fitouts represent. We even have our first ever certified Green Star Fitout – so a huge congratulations goes out to Dexus and the wider team behind the 1 Bligh Street fitout.
But releasing the Submission Guidelines is only the first step in launching any rating tool. Over the coming weeks several resources will be published, in the meantime you can head to our website, sign up to the launch webinar and the upcoming advanced day course (keep an eye out for this one!).
Green Star Fitouts marks a larger milestone - it's the final rating tool to be released under the banner of Future Focus. We're certainly not all done yet, but it is exciting to think about how this industry has embraced big changes the program set out to achieve. It’s easy to forget, but when Future Focus was launched in 2018, electrification was kind of a dirty word (who remembers ‘fossil fuel free’?), and upfront carbon was barely even a concept. You just need take a step back to gain some perspective on how far we’ve come as an industry. The obvious question on everyone’s lips however is – what’s next?
You will just have to wait and see.
However, one thing you won’t have to wait much longer for is our offline rating tool submission resource. These offline submission templates and calculator resources are coming back by popular demand for Green Star Buildings v1.1, Green Star Fitouts and Green Star Communities v2. For more information, please keep an eye on the relevant website pages and the Resources Portal.
At TRANSFORM we also shared work we have been doing to partner with sector representatives to expand the application of Green Star principles. This year we have focused on Industrial and Logistics, Healthcare, Build-to-rent and because you all asked so nicely – Data Centres.
Finally, I want to salute the village that builds Green Star. Our rating tools are not only a reflection of quality and ambition. They reflect hours of the smartest and most passionate industry representatives working together to pull it apart, look at the finer details, put it back together and then use it to drive real-work change. This happens because of the commitment to a better built environment by people like you who come along on the journey of consultation and engagement for every Green Star evolution. The debates, reviews and critiques are as essential as they are plentiful to this process, and without it we could not progress.
In the age of emerging AI and uncertain geopolitics, consensus building is more important than ever. We may have differing opinions on how we get to our end goal, but I think that’s ok. The power of consensus is that it allows space for this debate while continuing to have forward momentum towards our goal.
As I’ve come to appreciate over the last eight years of working at the GBCA, the questions of ‘If not this, then what?’ plays a crucial role in shaping not only what we do but how we do it. I will give the final word to our Chief Impact Officer, Jorge Chapa, who I think said it best: “One thing I’ve learnt about this industry: If we have a future we can agree on, we can build it.”
P.S. Just kidding, I couldn't ever let Jorge have the last word! Feedback to our Freeze Frame discussion paper closes on the 2nd of April - please send us your thoughts.
Green Star Fitouts was officially launched at TRANSFORM, introducing a new rating tool for the sustainable design and construction of fitouts. The tool provides a clear, practical framework to guide better decisions across fitout projects, and is the first rating tool to embed circularity as a core requirement for fitouts. Join our upcoming webinar to learn how the tool works and how it can support lower-carbon, more circular and healthier interiors.
GBCA has released Nature Positive Roadmap for the built environment: Trajectories for new developments, setting out clear targets and timeframes to help projects protect, restore and regenerate nature. The roadmap responds to growing expectations that planning, design and construction play a more active role in addressing biodiversity loss, not just minimising harm.
GBCA’s new report Keys to Change explores why sustainability is becoming central to Australia’s growing Build-to-Rent (BtR) sector. As a long-hold asset class, BtR performance depends on buildings that deliver strong environmental, financial and social outcomes over time. The report shows why Green Star certification is fast becoming the benchmark for institutional-grade rental housing.
From 1 May 2026, all new projects must register under Green Star Buildings v1.1. During the transition period, projects may choose to register under either v1 or v1.1. To register under Green Star Buildings v1, both the certification agreement and payment must be completed by 30 April 2026.
F-00521 - Can projects receive recognition for reused building elements in the Responsible Products credits?
F-00533 - What is the process for upgrading my registered project from Green Star Buildings v1 to v1.1?
Since the last Inside Green Star newsletter, we’ve published the following resources to assist you in preparing your Green Star submission. These are all available on the Resources Portal.
Calculators
Scorecard
Other Resources