October 22, 2004—The Green Building Council of Australia has announced that Australia is embracing the national Green Star environmental rating system for buildings. The first Green Star certification has been awarded, and 20 other projects have registered to have their projects or buildings certified as green.
The design of an office building under construction at 8 Brindabella Circuit, Brindabella Business Park in Canberra, was awarded five Green Stars out of a maximum of six, giving it an achievement of “Australian Excellence” after a robust third-party assessment using the Green Star Office Design rating tool. The building’s developer is Canberra International Airport.
8 Brindabella Circuit’s unique design features include:
- small car spaces, and installation of cyclist facilities (storage, showers, etc.);
- water-efficient fittings including waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, 5A-rated shower heads, and hands-free infrared taps (The design will save 775,000 liters of water a year, or a 53% reduction in water consumption compared with a standard building of similar size);
- 100% outside air (no recirculation);
- low-emissions products used throughout, including low-VOC paint, carpet, and adhesives;
- a centralized heating and cooling plant to reduce energy and water consumption;
- extensive use of environmentally friendly materials including recycled steel and timber, and minimal use of PVC-based products;
- storage areas to facilitate the recycling of waste during the building’s operation; and
- a commitment to recycle more than 80% of construction waste.
The Green Star program was created to drive the shift to a sustainable property industry by establishing a national comprehensive standard of measurement for green buildings, and an industry-accepted system of recognition for environmental leadership.
Besides the Office Design rating tool, Green Star also has tools for construction of office buildings and for tenants wanting interior fit-out guidance and rating. A tool for office owners and managers to rate the performance of existing office buildings is under development, and the Green Building Council has plans to develop a series of rating tools for different building types (office, retail, industrial, etc.) and different phases in the building life-cycle (design, construction, occupancy, and ownership).
Green Star builds on existing systems and tools in overseas markets, including the British BREEAM system and the North American LEED system, as well as on local expertise.
