In April this year, the Green Building Council of Australia released our new rating tool – Green Star Homes to the market.

We’ve always known that our homes are a key contributor to carbon emissions. In Australia, our residential sector accounts for 57% of the greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment (13% of national emissions[1]). Reducing these emissions has been a driving force for us. But we’re also determined to improve the health and financial impacts that come from our homes. That’s why a Green Star Home is designed to be a comfortable, healthy home that doesn’t cost the earth, while also being highly efficient, fossil fuel free and powered by renewable energy.

 

What is a Green Star Home?

Green Star Homes are designed to a standard set by the Green Building Council of Australia and independently assessed against three categories

  1. Positive (a fully electric, airtight and efficient home powered by renewables)
  2. Healthy (ventilated, comfortable, with product that are better for you)
  3. Resilient (water efficient, climate change ready).

Each category contains a number of credits with requirements that must be met to reach the Green Star Homes Standard.

(insert image of categories – positive, healthy and resilient)

What are the benefits of living in a Green Star Home?

Most of our homes are too hot in summer and too cold in winter, making them very expensive to keep comfortable. But since we spend 90% of our time indoors, and two thirds of this time is spent in our home, this discomfort can have negative impacts on our physical and mental health. That’s why a Green Star Home is designed to be a comfortable, healthy home that doesn’t cost the earth.

 

What are the benefits of designing and building a Green Star Home?

There are two steps to certifying a home.

The first is the Designed assessment, which involves submitting the designs for assessment with GBCA. If it meets the Green star Homes requirement it will be awarded as Green Star Designed. This award entitles the builder to use the Green Star Designed logo prior to construction.

The second stage is certification of the finished home. This is a formal process where the home is awarded a rating following an independent, third-party assessment of the project’s submission against the requirements of the rating tool.

Green Star homes is the only independent sustainable homes certification available in Australia. Through certification, you receive:

  • A trusted mark of quality and assurance that only the Green Star trademark can provide
  • A point of differentiation in the market, allowing you to stand out
  • A clear set of standards you can apply, knowing that you are in line with contemporary and leading practice when it comes to sustainability across carbon, etc
  • The ability to showcase your products and organisation as a one committed to doing the right thing
  • The opportunity to have your organisation and products showcased.

 

We rely on input across the sector

In developing Green Star Homes we have worked closely with many organisations across the sector. Our Early Access partners (Stockland, Mirvac, LendLease, Metricon, Rawson Homes, Chatham Homes, Ingenia Communities, Development Victoria, Landcom and a collaboration with the Australian Passivehouse Association) have been the early adopters of Green Star Homes through our pilot program.  This has helped to ensure the Standard sets a robust framework that industry can engage with and start using.

We’ve also had the backing of the banking sector with Commonwealth Bank announcing its new Green Loan Offer, offering lower interest rates for Green Star certified homes. And we’ve teamed up with Jamie Durie for his Seven Network TV series ‘Growing Home’ which will give a behind the scenes look at how Jamie uses the Green Star Homes standard to achieve his dream of a truly sustainable home.

Since launching Green Star Homes we’ve already seen a big uplift in consumer demand. We’re excited to see our vision for sustainable homes starting to take shape.

To get involved or to find out more please go to www.gbca.org.au

 

 

Elham Monavari, Green Building Council of Australia

A sustainability leader committed to transformational change, Elham Monavari led the creation of the new Green Star Homes rating tool for the Green Building Council of Australia. This revolutionary rating tool promises to drive down emissions by 70,000 tonnes over the next decade. Elham’s 20- year commitment to sustainability in the built environment has delivered many other dividends: a liveability survey for Mirvac, ambitious waste targets for local government and higher sustainability standards for high-profile projects in the United Arab Emirates, for example. A collaborator, dedicated professional and powerful role model, Elham is now focused on ensuring the Green Star rating system is ready for a digital future.

Elham won the National Association for Women in Construction Award for Contribution to Sustainability 2021.

[1], 2 Growing Market for Sustainable Homes: Industry Roadmap, ASBEC

 

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