The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) recently certified its 1000th project since the Green Star rating system was set up in 2003, representing more than 14 million square metres of building and precinct space that has been certified under the sustainability scheme.
The scheme is a national, voluntary rating system that assesses the sustainability characteristics of buildings and communities throughout their entire lifecycle. If they meet certain criteria, projects can be awarded either a four, five or six Green Star rating.
The GBCA’s chief executive officer Romilly Madew described the milestone as an “extraordinary achievement.”
“Our industry tends to talk in terms of square metres of space, but the positive impact of commitment to sustainability on people is simply staggering,” she said.
“More than half a million Australians now work in Green Star-rated offices – that’s 4.5 percent of our total workforce, or more people than live in Canberra or Newcastle. These people now enjoy workplaces that are better for their health, as well as better for the environment.”
According to the GBCA, more than 4,400 people live in Green Star-rated apartments and almost 17,000 students attend schools that are Green Star-certified.