Green Star Team

The Green Star Team contains 3 sub-groups:

- Green Star Tool Development Team

- Green Star Certification Team
- Green Star Operations Team

National Technical Manager - Sonya Ku
Sonya Ku has recently joined the Green Building Council of Australia as a National Technical Manager to oversee the development of new Green Star Rating Tools. Sonya brings to GBCA her broad experience in environmental risk management, sustainable design and statistical modelling.

Prior to joining the Green Building Council she worked as a consultant providing strategic advice on sustainability and environmental risk management to the property sector on projects such as master plan designs, new build, refurbishments and portfolio management. Her previous work includes resource efficiency profiling for a major commercial property portfolio, property assessments based on the Green Star suite of tools, and environmental risk management. Sonya is also a qualified auditor of Environmental Management Systems (ISO14000 series) under RABSQA and a Green Star Accredited Professional.

National Technical Manager - Elena Bondareva
A Russian citizen, Elena was born and raised in Moscow. She was educated in UK, France, and Italy before graduating in Design and Environmental Analysis from Cornell University, USA. She has worked with the Design and Environmental Analysis and two design and consulting firms in Moscow. In 2005, she completed her graduate work in sustainable building design from Cornell University, where she investigated international adaptation of a US green building rating system. Elena has published research articles in peer reviewed and public journals.

Elena Bondareva is a National Technical Manager and leads the team charged the ongoing administration and integrity of the Green Star rating tools.

National Technical Manager - Hal Dobbins
Hal is the National Technical Manager of the Certification Division of the Green Star Technical Team at the Green Building Council of Australia. His current roles involve up-scaling the capacity of the certification process to meet the rapidly growing demand for Green Star assessment and certifications. He leads a dynamic team of enthusiastic Technical Coordinator case managers dedicated to providing high quality support to GBCA Members and Green Star project teams on all technical matters pertaining to Green Star. Hal also manages an ongoing comprehensive revision project focused on the Material Category credits of Green Star rating tools. He brings to the GBCA a broad perspective and knowledge in diverse areas of ESD ranging from sustainable community development in developing countries to environmental consulting for the Australian Building Materials Industry. He joined the GBCA in May 2007 following several years as National Manager of Ecospecifier.

Technical Manager - Elizabeth Root
Liz comes from the UK where she completed her studies in architecture before focusing on sustainability with an MSc in Energy Efficient and Sustainable Building. After spending some time in architectural practice, both in London and Oxford, Liz moved into the field of environmental assessment methods in the UK where she worked for the last 2.5 years.

Liz joined the GBCA in November 2007 as a Technical Manager working within the tool development team.

Technical Manager - Jorge Chapa
Jorge joined the GBCA in July 2007 as a Technical Manager working within the Green Star Tool Operations team.

Technical Manager - Shay Singh
Shay joined the GBCA in November 2007 as a Technical Manager working within the Green Star Certification team.

Technical Manager - Orjan Lundberg
Orjan is originally from the island Orust off the Swedish west coast. He completed a Master of Civil engineering with sustainability focus from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2004. He then worked as a researcher and tutor at the same university, his research was inter-disciplinary and combined environmental assessment and organisational theory. Orjan has been involved in postgraduate teaching and course development since 2004 and has supervised four Masters thesis projects. Orjan has participated in three study and research exchanges to Australian universities.

Orjan joined the GBCA in October 2007 as a Technical Manager, working with tool integrity and tool development.

Technical Coordinator - Briana Thompson
Briana graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Ecology & Environmental Science from the University of Canberra in 2003. She lived in London for 2 years where she worked in Recruitment for the Built Environment. After moving to Sydney in 2005, Briana worked for the Ministry of Transport (City of Sydney) using Geographic Information Systems (mapping).

Briana has been working with the Green Building Council since September 2006. Her role is to coordinate the certification of Green Star Projects, assist with the development of Green Star rating tools and to answer technical queries.

Technical Coordinator - Joe Karten
Joe comes from rainy Portland, Oregon and has a Bachelor's degree in Construction Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Following college, he spent 9 months on a fellowship research of sustainable buildings in Mexico and Western Europe.

Joe coordinates the certification of Green Star projects, answers technical queries, and assists in rating tool development.
Read an interview with Joe Karten.

Technical Coordinator - Sonia De Almada

Sonia has completed a Diploma in Architectural Technology (Distinction) from St George TAFE in 2002. In mid-2007, she graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture Degree, with First Class Honours, from the Univeristy of New South Wales. Sonia has been working at the Green Building Council since November 2006, whilst in her final year of study. Since graduating, Sonia has become a Technical Coordinator.

Sonia coordinates the certification of Green Star Projects, assists in rating tool development and answers technical queries.

Technical Coordinator - Ori Danieli
Ori joined the Green Building Council in July 2007 and has a degree in Agriculture, Plant Protection, with a sub-major in Environmental Science, from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Prior to joining the GBC, Ori worked as an Environmental Officer for the Jewish National Fund in Sydney for over two years.

Ori will co-ordinate the certification of Green Star projects, assist with the development of Green Star rating tools and answer technical queries.

Technical Coordinator - Toufik Refki
Toufik Refki is joining us as a Technical Coordinator - Certification. He holds a BA in International Relations and Human Ecology and has been working as a Verification Officer for Good Environmental Choice Services (GECS) conducting environmental audits for goods and services in the Australian market.

Technical Coordinator - Adrienne Burega

Adrienne is from Canada and holds a BA Honours in Geography from the University of Western Ontario. She came to Australia in 2006 and completed a Masters of Sustainable Development from the University of New South Wales. Following her Masters Adrienne worked as an Energy Auditor on contract with the plan to head back to Canada. After living in Australia for over 2 years, she decided Sydney was not a place she was ready to leave and therefore joined the Green Building Council as a Technical Coordinator - Certification in March 2008.

Adrienne coordinates the certification of Green Star projects, answers technical queries, and assists in rating tool development.