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The Green Star environmental rating system for buildings has been created to: - Establish a common language;
- Set a standard of measurement for green buildings;
- Promote integrated, whole-building design;
- Recognise environmental leadership;
- Identify building life-cycle impacts;
- Raise awareness of green building benefits; and
Reduce the environmental impact of development.
The Green Building Council aims to create rating tools for various building types. Initially, the focus has been commercial office buildings.
To date rating tools have been developed for the design (Green Star - Office Design), construction (Green Star - Office as Built) and fitout (Green Star - Office Interiors) of commercial office buildings. A pilot Office Assets tool, to assess the environmental merits of assets within existing buildings, is being finalised.
Green Star - Office Design is used to rate the design, and then accreditation is given to actual building performance after the building is commissioned. Credit points are available for water efficiency and reuse initiatives such as those listed below.
To gain maximum points for a new building: - All toilets to be 4.5/3L flush
- Bathroom basins to be 4L per minute
- Cleaners’ and kitchen basins to be 10L per minute
- Showers to be 7L per minute
- All urinals to be waterless (with fluid replacement rather than cartridge replacement resulting in no increase in maintenance costs)
- Rainwater collection to be implemented (in accordance with current regulations)
- Waste water recycling to be implemented (in accordance with current regulations)
- Total water consumption per person per day to be 5.5-9.5L, dependant on building type
To gain points for a refurbishment: - All toilets to be 6/3L flush
- Bathroom basins to be 4L per minute
- Cleaners’ and kitchen basins to be 10L per minute
- Showers to be 7L per minute
- Urinals to be no more than 3L per flush
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