The property and construction industry’s shift to sustainability continues to gather pace, with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) certifying 150 Green Star projects during 2014 – up from 105 in 2013.
“This 43 per cent increase in certifications in the last year is a reminder to the industry that efficiency, productivity and sustainability are here to stay,” says the GBCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Romilly Madew.
“What’s more, 115 new Green Star projects were registered over the course of 2014, which is an encouraging sign for 2015,” Ms Madew says.
“We now have 796 Green Star certified projects around Australia, with a further 392 registered to achieve ratings. Green Star is influencing the design and construction of schools and shopping centres, hospitals and hotels, libraries, law courts, apartments, aquatic centres, and everything from small inner-city projects to large-scale developments that will one day have their own postcodes,” Ms Madew says.
Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, at University of Technology in Sydney, is among the green building best practices in Australia. The building designed by Frank Gerhy, Pritzker Prize-winning architect based in Los Angeles, has been awarded a 5 Star design rating under the Green Star certification system - Education v1.
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“The number of project teams achieving their Green Star rating in Round 1 has grown dramatically in the last year – reflecting the extensive work we’ve undertaken to make Green Star easier to use. Thirteen per cent of certifications were achieved in Round 1 in 2014, compared with just one per cent two years ago,” Ms Madew explains.
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The GBCA has crunched the numbers, and applauds impressive leadership in 2014.
Source: Green Buidling Council Australia
Photos: Andrew Worssam - Frank Gerhy's Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, Unversity of Technology, Sydney - 5 Star Design rated