A S S O C I A T I O N O V E R V I E W
FROM GREY TO GREEN: Transforming Australia’s communities Romilly Madew, Chief Executive Officer Green Building Council of Australia
GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
Curtin University
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decade ago, Australia’s cityscapes were more grey than green. But a revolution, imperceptible to those outside the property and construction industry, was underway, and from the boardroom to the drawing board to the construction site, people were already thinking about how to meet the new sustainability benchmarks set by the Green Star rating system for buildings. In a decade, Green Star has radically transformed the footprint of our cities – and today we have more than 830 building projects 101
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around Australia with Green Star ratings, and more every week. Twenty three per cent of Australia’s CBD office space is Green Star certified. We have supported the delivery of more than 100 productive, healthy school and university buildings, 30 large-scale shopping centres, 25 industrial facilities, as well as apartments and libraries, convention centres, fire and train stations, hotels and hospitals, restaurants and retirement living villages. The environmental benefits of this dramatic transformation of
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our built environment are selfevident. The Value of Green Star report shows that Green Star-rated buildings emit around a third of the greenhouse gas emissions and use the two thirds less electricity when compared with the average Australian building. Green Starrated buildings also use half the water of average buildings, and send a fraction of the waste to landfill. But a city is more than simply a collection of buildings connected by roads and other hard infrastructure. A city is more than bricks and mortar. A city is a collection of
people – and people require social as well as physical environments. Building sustainable cities means creating employment opportunities and economic prosperity, supporting diverse and liveable suburbs that enhance people’s wellbeing, ensuring schools and hospitals are healthy places to learn or heal, and fostering the community’s connections with nature and culture. This is where the Green Star – Communities rating tool comes in. Developed in collaboration with the industry, all tiers of government h t t p : / / w w w. g b c a . o r g . a u /
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GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
Greater Curtin
and academia, Green Star – Communities is one of the world’s first independent, transparent, national schemes designed to assess and certify the sustainability of large-scale master-planned development projects. Green Star – Communities benchmarks developments against 38 credits in categories of Liveability, Economic Prosperity, Environment, Design, Governance and Innovation – with a rating providing independent verification that a community development 103
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is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. We are currently working with dozens of projects – from small inner-city infill sites to large greenfield developments that will one day be home to hundreds of thousands of people. The first project to achieve a rating was Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC), for its 2,700 hectare site which will eventually house more than 50 commercial office, mixed use, retail and industrial buildings.
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BAC’s 4 Star Green Star rating represents ‘best practice’ for a master-planned development in Australia, and provides BAC with global recognition for its vision and commitment to sustainable development. What’s more, the people of Brisbane now have proof that their airport precinct is being planned and designed as an enduring, sustainable asset. BAC has implemented a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy for the precinct, together with a plan for facilities, programs and events that promote cohesion and interaction between the people who use the precinct. As Julieanne Alroe, BAC Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, says: “This achievement gives us reassurance that we’re on the right track and further encourages us to do even more for sustainability so that Brisbane Airport is regarded as a world leader in this space.” Curtin University achieved Australia’s first 5 Star Green Star – Communities rating, signifying ‘Australian Excellence’. Western
Australia’s largest university received the rating for its Master Plan, which will see its 114-hectare Bentley Campus developed into a ‘city of innovation’. Curtin University ViceChancellor Professor Deborah Terry says the rating is an important endorsement of the University’s vision to transform its Bentley Campus through urban renewal and sustainable design. “We are continually striving to be leaders in research and education and the 5 Star Green Star – Communities rating validates our ambitions to develop a vibrant urban centre, while achieving our vision to change the world through innovation and excellence. To be the first project in Australia to receive the rating is a significant achievement,” Professor Terry says. The bottom line? The Green Building Council of Australia believes that everyone should have the opportunity to learn in a green school, work in a green office, or live in a green home. Green Star – Communities provides the pathways to create sustainable places for everyone. h t t p : / / w w w. g b c a . o r g . a u /
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Green Building Council of Australia Address Level 15, 179 Elizabeth St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel. 02 8239 6200 Fax. 02 8252 8223 info@gbca.org.au http://www.gbca.org.au/