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Welcome
In November the Council celebrated its 3rd birthday and welcomed its new Chair Craig Heaton, Director of Project Management at ING Real Estate Development. Craig replaces Founding Chair, Brendan Crotty, Managing Director of Australand Property Group. Brendan's strong leadership was integral to the Council's record of achievements. Brendan guided the organisation’s activities, providing support in establishing its priorities and in ensuring its financial rigour.
Last week we were inspired by Canadian green developer Joe Van Belleghem. Our next international visitor in February is David Gottfried, founder of the World and US Green Building Councils. David will be in Australia to participate in a joint industry-government project initiative: 'A Sustainable Building Roadmap for Australia'.
Many may have heard that I will be leaving the Council to take up the role of Global Head of Sustainability for Lend Lease Corporation. I will continue to sit on the Council's board and chair the Advocacy Committee.
As the Council starts the search for a new Executive Director, it expects to name an appointment to a new position of Chief Operating Officer in the New Year.
The Council welcomes its newest members: Ecospecifier, Eveready Partitions Pty Ltd, Geyer Pty Ltd, Gandel Retail Management, Hardy Milazzo Architecture & Interior Design, IA Group Pty Ltd and The University of New South Wales.
Please note that our office will be closed from 26 December - 27 January 2006.
We hope you enjoy our last newsletter for 2005. May you have a safe and happy festive season.
Maria
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News
Craig Heaton, Director of Project Management at ING Real Estate Development, has been elected Chair of the Green Building Council of Australia, following the decision by founding Chair, Brendan Crotty, to step down after three years in the position.
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Thank you to everyone who completed our membership survey. The results of the survey will be posted on our website in February 2006. We look forward to implementing some of your suggestions in the New Year.
We promised an iPod nano for the best response to the final question "Why is it easy to be green?" and we're pleased to announce the City of Sydney team are the winners with their response:
When I'm cold I'm blue.
When I'm burnt I'm red.
When I'm dead I'm purple.
When I'm scared I'm yellow.
When I'm alive I'm green.
Congratulations City of Sydney!
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It has been another busy year for the Council. We've held 14 courses around the country, training another 500 people to use Green Star and bringing our total number of course participants to 1326. We predict more than 50 commercial office buildings to be Green Star certified in 2006, given the current registration trend. Next year the Council will release another five rating tools, expanding the Green Star tool application across all major industry sectors (except residential, which will be released in 2007).
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Visiting Canadian green developer and founder of the Canada Green Building Council, Joe Van Belleghem, has called on Australian federal, state and local governments to take more of a leadership role on green buildings.
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The Banksia Environmental Foundation recently welcomed three new board members, adding to its already extensive reserve of environmental expertise - Professor Chris Ryan, Andrew Grant and Maria Atkinson.
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Australian sustainable development consultants SEA 02 are organising a delegation of Australian firms specialising in sustainable products and services to exhibit at the United Nations Environment Program and meet key people in the United Arab Emirates urban development industry. Significant resources for firms wishing to export, including cash rebates, are available from Austrade.
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Over the past twenty years, Building Use Studies, a consultancy based in London, has been collecting information about how buildings work from the users' point of view. The findings are then fed back to designers, managers, owner occupiers and developers, with the hope of helping them improve the next generation of buildings.
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The Green Building Council of Australia and the Property Council of Australia are joining forces to host the largest green building conference and exhibition in Australia.
To be held in February 2007, the two day conference will give delegates unrivalled opportunities to learn about the latest green building design, technologies and fiscal incentives. A third day of master classes is also planned, which will include Green Star courses, strategic workshops and site tours.
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Have you ever thought about how the design of your office interior impacts on your bottom line? In an interview recorded on Telstra's website, Peter Slifirski, who is a Director at Melbourne architecture firm Architectus, speaks about the characteristics of good office space, the needs of office workers today and what you can do to improve your space.
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As the number of businesses and organisations interested in sustainable green buildings increases, an innovative software company in the US has developed software intended to simplify building certification. Leedspeed, a Web-based software application, navigates the user through the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating Systems.
The Green Building Council of Australia would welcome the creation of similar software for Green Star.
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Green Star
Bordo International Pty Ltd Headquarters in Scoresby, VIC is an example of how the design of a pre-cast concrete office located on an industrial park can achieve a 5 Star Green Star - Office Design v1 Certified Rating, which exemplifies `Australian Excellence'. Through reliable and simple measures such as careful building orientation, operable windows, super-insulated ceilings and external louvre shading, the project is predicted to achieve a 68% savings in energy consumption and deliver ample natural light and ventilation for a healthier working environment. Bordo International has demonstrated that today's sustainable offices do not have to cost more and buildings can be future-proofed against tomorrow's higher energy costs.
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Over 50% of our Green Star - Office Design courses in 2005 sold out more than a month in advance and the 2006 waiting list continues to grow. We recommend you register early to avoid disappointment. The registration form is available on our website. Our first course for the year will be a new destination for us - Darwin on 24 February. During March we will visit Melbourne and Perth.
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In 2006 the Council plans to hold a new course for Green Star - Office Interiors (in addition to the current Green Star - Office Design course). The first will be held in Brisbane on 16th March 2006. To register your interest email info@gbca.org.au
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The Council's Technical Working Group is hard at work creating its newest Green Star tool, Green Star - Retail. Green Star - Health and Green Star - Education are in the pipeline for early next year.
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The Laminex Group recently launched Greenfirst, the country's first range of surface and wood panel products that supports the Green Star rating tools for commercial offices.
The products include decorative laminates, composite wood panels and allied products for the furniture and joinery market. These materials are used to make items such as work stations, partitions and wall linings.
Laminex has joined Forbo Flooring, Wattyl and Sustainable Living Fabrics as Green Building Council members that have had their products certified by the Australian Environmental Labelling Assocation.
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