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.
GBCA CEO, Romilly Madew, said this is a 43 per cent increase in certifications, proof that sustainability is here to stay.
“What’s more, 115 new Green Star projects were registered over the course of 2014, which is an encouraging sign for 2015,” Madew said.
Today, there is a total of 796 Green Star certified projects around Australia, with a further 392 registered to achieve ratings.
“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,” Madew said.
“Some 13 per cent of certifications were achieved in Round 1 in 2014, compared with just one per cent two years ago."
Releasing a roundup of 2014 achievements, the GBCA said Lend Lease has shown exceptional leadership in terms of development.
“Lend Lease again tops the table in terms of development leadership, with eight certified ratings in 2014 for projects such as Library at the Dock in Melbourne and the T2 commercial tower at Sydney's Barangaroo,” Madew said.
“Lend Lease has a total of 16 Green Star projects currently underway.”
When it comes to new project registrations, Frasers-Australand is this year’s leader with a total of 12 Green Star projects registered in 2014.
Frasers-Australand managing director, Bob Johnston, said the firm is currently working on 14 Green Star projects.
Moreover, the iconic Green Star-certified One Central Park was also named ‘Best Tall Building in the World’ in 2014.
“Frasers-Australand is proud to continue our support of the GBCA and Green Star. The GBCA continues to evolve and broaden the conversation on creating sustainable spaces,” Johnston said.
“The Green Star suite of tools provides a credible and internationally-recognised benchmark to measure the sustainability of our developments and investment assets and assists us with delivering leading and meaningful results for our customers.”
WSP worked on the most certified projects in 2014 – 13 in total. This was followed closely behind by Cundall (12 projects) and Umow Lai (11 projects).
“WSP, Cundall and Umow Lai all have highly experienced and committed Green Star accredited professionals that continue to push the sustainable building envelope and improve the skills around the industry,” Madew said.
An estimated 23 per cent of Australia's CBD office space is now Green Star certified.
In the retail sector, Stockland leads the pack, with seven of the nine active Green Star – Retail projects.
Monash University achieved three Green Star ratings for education projects in 2014, while in the public sector the Victorian Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure gained five separate Green Star ratings for railway station upgrades.
The GBCA is currently working with 11 local governments on Green Star projects.
Australia’s very first Green Star – Communities rating was awarded to Brisbane Airport Corporation for the 2,700 hectare Brisbane Airport site, which will eventually house more than 50 commercial office, mixed use, retail and industrial buildings.
“This 4 Star Green Star – Communities rating is a landmark achievement that sets new sustainability benchmarks for airports around the world,” Madew said.