The Green Star certification process for building interiors will soon be more accessible thanks to a fast-track system being introduced for the tenants of commercial buildings that have achieved Green Star status.
Operated by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Green Star is Australia’s only national, voluntary and holistic rating system for sustainable buildings and communities.
The new system is being pioneered by International Towers, Tower Two and Tower Three, at Barangaroo, who are the first to streamline certified, individual Green Star tenancy ratings for each of their tenants. The new offering stems from a collaboration between International Towers and the GBCA who are tenant partners and aim to pave the way for broad uptake of the program around Australia.
Sustainability has always been at the forefront of International Towers, from its initial design to construction and operation. For the building to achieve the GBCA’s highest rating, the 6 Star Green Star – Design, As-Built and Performance rating tenant partners are required to achieve 6 Star Green Star – Interiors ratings and contribute to the precinct’s Green Star Performance rating targets on an ongoing basis.
According to the GBCA, a streamlined approach to Green Star certification has been developed to help tenants meet these interior rating requirements, with specific attention to material and equipment selection, documentation guidance and the certification process. The program also utilises the buildings’ existing Green Star features.
International Towers General Manager, Tony Byrne, said the step-by-step guide for tenant partners enabled them to fast-track their rating submission and forge a direct relationship with the GBCA.
“Sustainability is a core shared value of our tenant partners and this kind of innovation is an ideal outcome of the GBCA tenancy within International Towers. Both Tower Two and Tower Three hold the highest honour on the internationally-recognised sustainability rating system, the 6 Star Green Star – Office Design Rating v3,” Mr Byrne said.
“This is the lynchpin of our continuing drive for sustainability and innovation and we are uniquely placed to guide tenant partners through what can be a complicated process. We are also proud that through our efforts we can have a broad social impact on Australia’s progress towards a sustainable corporate landscape,” he explained.
The GBCA’s streamlined approach is a customised service allowing the certification of a group of projects sharing similar features, in this case, commercial offices. It enables common elements to be certified once and then replicated on future projects to achieve a Green Star rating. Thus, reducing costs, future proofing assets, and helping more people to enjoy the benefits of working in a Green Star environment. The GBCA is also looking to expand this service to other building owners, particularly those in commercial towers and shopping centres who wish to ensure and help their tenants deliver high-quality outcomes.
Romilly Madew, Chief Executive Officer of the GBCA said that Barangaroo is one of the most sustainable precincts in the world and the hard work International Towers and its tenant partners are putting in to achieve 6 Star Green Star ratings shows a commitment to this vision.
“This development encapsulates a new wave of innovation in commercial offices and really shows how building owners and tenants can work together to create high-level sustainable buildings and spaces,” she commented.
More information on this announcement can be found here.