We want to provide you with assistance every step of the way throughout your project's certification. There are 5 important roles involved in this process to ensure your goals are met:
This team provides advice on the value proposition for Green Star and how to apply it to your project. They help you through the registration process and address eligibility queries.
The engine room of Green Star! One of our Technical Coordinators will be assigned to your project once registered, and they will support you through the submission, assessment and certification stages of your project. They are the first port of call for any questions you might have regarding your registered project.
Third party professionals that undertake the assessment process on behalf of Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). This group is made up of industry experts who are contractually bound to ensure the assessment is confidential robust, transparent and independent. They advise us on the final score and rating to be issued.
The organisation that enters into formal agreement with GBCA to have their project certified. They are usually the project developer or owner, and will have license to use the Green Star Certification Trade Mark when issued upon certification.
The person with responsibility for submitting the project for assessment, on behalf of the Project Applicant. This is usually a consultant, but may also be a developer’s employee. It is strongly advised the contact holds Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP) accreditation. This means they have successfully completed Green Star training and the exam, and are enrolled in our Continual Professional Development program. GSAP accreditation is recommended because our training program will ensure a project contact has the knowledge and expertise to confidently guide projects through Green Star certification.
You can access all the tools and resources you will need for your Green Star project in our Green Star Resources portal. Use the search function or filters to find specific documents.
Please note: Member organisations will have access to the Submission Guidelines for free, and non-members will be able to purchase these from the online shop.
1. Submission guidelines
The main source of information on the technical requirements for projects pursuing Green Star certification. They provide detailed information on each credit's aims, criteria and compliance requirements, as well as contain additional guidance, background information and resources.
2. Rating tool scorecards
This is an interactive Excel spreadsheet that must be used by projects seeking Green Star certification. It provides a scoring tool for projects to keep track of their Green Star points claims, and is a useful tool for the project team to use from the design stage, all way to construction and handover. It is also used by GBCA to provide the results of assessment.
3. Calculators and calculator guides
For some credits, calculators have been developed to assist in determining the number of points achieved for a credit. These come with Calculator Guides to help you in using them.
4. Submission templates
When lodging a submission for assessment, the project team must complete a Submission Template for all credits it is targeting. The Template specifies the information and evidence required to confirm that a project complies with a credit. Projects must submit the Submission Templates provided by GBCA, and are not permitted to use an alternative document.
5. Innovation challenges
Innovation challenges are designed to encourage investment into key research areas, these can be related to social, economic or environmental issues. Some Innovation Challenges take the form of new credits, while others simply identify sustainability issues that additional research and innovation will help to address.
6. Submission checklists
A completed and signed submission requirements checklist must be submitted by all projects teams during Round 1 and Round 2 submissions.
7. Change logs
The change log provides a record of the revisions made with each release of the rating tool.
8. Free technical question responses
Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) database can be found on the Green Star Resources page. FAQs are intended to provide additional technical assistance when working through the Submission Guidelines for no additional charge. Using FAQ responses is not mandatory but may save projects time in some instances. Project teams have the option of including FAQs in their submission should the outcome support their project. Should a project wish to apply a specific FAQ response then it must be stated in the Submission Template and the FAQ must be included as submission supporting documents. Assessors will not refer to the FAQ database as part of the assessment process, other than to verify the validity of an included FAQ.
1. Fact sheet: Renewables and offsets in Green Star
This fact sheet has been developed for greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Background and guidance relating to Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)
Products and materials are addressed in Green Star rating tools via credits that specifically target the consumption of resources, these credits address the selection, use, reuse and efficient management practices of building and fitout materials. GBCA has developed some background information and guidance relating to LCA and EPDs, when submitting documentation within Green Star credits.
3. Best practice guidelines for PVC
Developed after extensive stakeholder feedback, provides guidance for project teams wishing to demonstrate compliance with the Green Star credit.
4. Guidance on construction and demolition waste
All Green Star rating tools include a Construction and Demolition Waste credit which aims to encourage and reward management practices that minimise the amount of construction and demolition waste from base building and/or interior fitout works that is disposed to landfill. The credit requires the use of waste contractors and waste processing facilities that have been independently verified for compliance with minimum standards of reporting. As a result of this consultation process, in 2013 GBCA introduced the Construction and Demolition Waste Reporting Criteria for projects seeking Green Star certification.
5. Product certification schemes
GBCA has developed a framework to acknowledge products certified by product certification schemes within the Materials category (Material Calculators, Fitout Calculators and the VOC credit) in Green Star rating tools for design and construction, and the Green Cleaning credit in Green Star – Performance.
6. Green Star and WELL Building Standard: approaches to buildings or fitouts seeking a dual rating
We have worked collaboratively on a guidance document that compares and aligns the Green Star and WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) rating systems. This will support building owners looking to boost the sustainability of their assets and support the health and well-being of people inside the buildings.
7. Green Star and Living Building Challenge: approaches to buildings seeking a dual rating
We have worked collaboratively on a guidance document that compares and aligns the Green Star and Living Building Challenge rating systems. This will support building owners looking to boost the sustainability of their assets and support positive, regenerative approaches to buildings.
8. Passive House Standard & Green Star - Design & As Built
We have worked collaboratively on a guidance document for those building owners looking to use Passive house certification to achieve a Green Star rating.