Materials Category

The Materials Category of the Green Star rating tools consist of Credits which target the consumption of resources through selection, use, reuse and efficient management practices of building and fitout materials. The credits reward reduction, reuse and the use of recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible.

The various environmental and human health impacts arising from building materials are reduced when use of virgin materials is limited and special attention is given to the selection of ecologically and health-preferable materials.

Green Star Material credits aim to address and improve the environmental impacts of building products and materials by taking into consideration issues pertaining to the lifespan, lifecycle and approach towards the use of these resources within the building fabrics of Green Star certified projects.

Material Credit Revisions

What are credit revisions?
Green Star credit revisions are an integral part of the continuous improvement commitment of the GBCA to ensure that Green Star rating tools evolve with the property industry to push the boundaries of best practice sustainability benchmarks. Revisions to some of the Materials category credits are being undertaken with an aim of keeping these credits abreast of emerging industry benchmarks for environmental performance and to provide clarity to a diverse range of stakeholder concerns which have been collected over time in relation to these credits.

How are revisions being communicated?
The GBCA website has a comprehensive section on Green Star which hosts a Materials page containing individual subsections dedicated to each of the current material credit revisions. These sections provide a background to the credit revision and contain progress reports, timelines, and stakeholder input summaries as they become available.

Current and upcoming Material credit revisions and related Material Stakeholder Engagement projects
Revisions are being undertaken or are scheduled to commence for the following credits and related projects:

'Timber Credit Review' - Commenced December 2007

'Products Certification Project (PCP)', applies to Green Star - Office Interiors credits Mat 1-7 only - Commenced June 2008

'PVC Minimisation Credit Review' - Scheduled to commence in Third Quarter of 2008

'Concrete Credit Review' - Scheduled to commence in Third Quarter of 2008

'Steel Credit Review' - Scheduled to commence in Fourth Quarter of 2008

To locate the individual subsections dedicated to each of the current material credit revisions, please scroll to the top of the page and view the 'In This Section' menu prompts on the middle right hand section of the page or follow the links above.

What is the process?

The Green Star Stakeholder Engagement process will guide all current and future credit revision projects. Regular updates will be made to the Material Credit Revision sections following the steps outlined in this process.

View the Green Star Stakeholder Engagement Process flow diagram

Industry Reference Group (IRG)

The IRG is being created in direct response to stakeholder feedback received by the GBCA in 2006/2007, specifically with regards to the Materials Credit Categories in the Green Star suite of Rating Tools.
The IRG is a 'virtual forum' that will operate by email correspondence, be moderated by the GBCA, and utilise a special section of the GBCA website to post the feedback and input of the group's contributions.

Read more about the Industry Reference Group.

Questions? Contact Materials@gbcaus.org