Green Star - Communities

It’s almost here!  After four years in the making, 38 sponsors and supporters, 135 members of technical working groups and committees, and 35 credits refined down from 85, the Green Star – Communities rating tool is almost ready for release.

According to the GBCA’s Manager Sustainable Communities, Adam Beck, Green Star - Communities is one of the world’s first independent, transparent, national schemes able to assess and certify the sustainability of community-level projects.

“Green Star – Communities assesses environmental concerns within communities – such as minimising energy and water consumption, and reducing dependence on motor vehicles – alongside broader holistic sustainability issues, such as economic prosperity, liveability and community diversity,” Adam says.

The Green Star – Communities rating tool will benchmark developments at a community scale by assessing them against six categories: liveability; economic prosperity; environment; community design; governance; and innovation.

To be eligible for a rating, a minimum number of points will be mandatory in each category, which Adam says will ensure projects are pushed beyond focusing solely on environmental impacts.  “It’s not just about how much carbon or water your community development is saving,” he says.

“As just one example, the PILOT tool includes seven liveability and seven economic credits that will sit alongside 12 environmental credits.  So, not only will project teams need to demonstrate world-class urban design practices, but also demonstrate how their project is committed to corporate social responsibility, how it invests in community facilities and incentivises sustainable lifestyles.”

With some of Australia’s largest greenfield and urban infill projects lining up to pilot the rating tool, and the list of project partners and sponsors growing daily, Adam says Green Star - Communities is set to be a ‘game changer’.

More information about the launch of Green Star – Communities will be available soon.  In the meantime, visit our website to download a business case.