Green Star Communities

Download the Green Star Communities Framework

Australia's population is expected to rise by 60 per cent by 2050, reaching 35 million people. Most of us - nearly 85 per cent - will choose to live in cities.

This trend in growth will challenge us and be influenced by ecological limits and natural resource constraints, a changing climate, the growing need for employment and access to affordable, liveable and enjoyable places.

We are, however, in the enviable position of being able to shape the evolution of our existing and future communities. This is why the Australian Government is establishing a clear urban cities agenda for the nation, to ensure our cities grow efficiently with respect to major infrastructure networks (such as transport and communication networks), are affordable and liveable, and shape a sustainable legacy for future generations.

Acknowledging the above challenges, in 2009 the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) consulted with its members and other industry and government stakeholders to identify potential opportunities for supporting this national cities agenda. With its core business being the development and administration of comprehensive and robust rating tools, the GBCA was asked by government and industry to lead the development of a rating tool for sustainable communities.

The development of Green Star - Communities involves a two-staged process, including:

• Stage 1: development of a national framework for sustainable communities that establishes five national best practice principles to guide sustainable communities in Australia and the development of the Green Star - Communities rating tool; and
• Stage 2:development of the Green Star - Communities rating tool that assesses sustainable communities against best practice sustainable benchmarks.

Contact:
Adam Beck
Project Leader Green Star Communities
Green Building Council of Australia
Phone: 07 3229 3299
Mobile: 0410 506 043
Email: adam.beck@gbca.org.au