Green Star - Performance in 2011

The Green Star – Performance project for existing buildings in operation has been a priority for the GBCA in 2011.  A technical working group of more than 25 people in the industry are currently working on the draft credits for the tool, and testing will commence in 2012.

The response from industry to the new project has been overwhelmingly positive. 

“Existing buildings represent the single biggest opportunity to reduce the environmental impact from the built environment,” says Norman Disney & Young’s Director, Darrel Williams.  “The link between commissioning, tuning, operations and management has been somewhat missing from the discussion. This performance tool is a real opportunity to bring those influences together.”

Buildings Manager at Sustainability Victoria, Stefan Preuss agrees.  “The Green Star rating tools have had a profound impact in setting benchmarks for the sustainability of new buildings.  The new Green Star - Performance tool will complement the current suite of Green Star tools and allow building owners to monitor and improve the ongoing performance of their existing premises,” he says.

“Without a way to measure the operational performance of our buildings, how do we know the designs work? Green Star – Performance will help us verify that the operational performance of our buildings match the design potential; the feedback and lessons learnt through this measurement process will be invaluable,” says Mirvac’s General Manager, Chris Luscombe. 

“It will also help building owners to set clear pathways for their upgrade programs. Not everyone has the money to take a building straight to 6 Star Green Star, but Green Star – Performance will help us to make decisions that support long-term investment in green building.”

“By providing a greater measure of building performance across a wider range of elements, we’ll have a tool for existing buildings that goes beyond energy and water use and which will challenge the scope of retrofits and management practices, producing greater outcomes for the industry,” concludes Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at DEXUS Property Group, Michael Lane. 

Contact:
Robert Milagre
Acting Manager - Green Star Development
Green Building Council of Australia
Phone: 02 8239 6220
Email: robert.milagre@gbca.org.au