Government mandate

It's one thing to talk about sustainable design initiatives, and quite another to put ideas into practice. The New Zealand Government has chosen to lead by example, however, and has shown its support for the NZ Green Building Council's Green Star rating tools.

From July 1 this year, all new A-grade office buildings being constructed to house government staff in central business districts must have a minimum 5-Star Green Star NZ rating, which represents a New Zealand excellence standard. A 4-Star rating is required for B-grade buildings, signifying best practice standard.

The move has been welcomed by the NZ Green Building Council. Chief executive Jane Henley says that while industry leaders have already committed to the programme with the formation of the council, this stance is the strongest support the government has shown for the initiative.

"The government endorsement of Green Star NZ sends a strong message to the industry that third-party voluntary industry standards have their place, and complement compliance requirements," Henley says.

"New Zealand industry has really taken a lead, in line with strong international trends towards green building practices. It has recognised that the business case for green building makes sound economic, social and environmental sense."

Henley says with a growing international commitment to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, government-led improvement in the efficiency of building design and operation is now viewed as a necessity.

"Earlier this year, the White House issued an executive order known as the High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum. As a result, many US state governments are committing to the targets set by LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design), the environmental rating system that is the US equivalent to Green Star."

The Green Star NZ building rating tool has been adapted from the successful Australia system. It sets a standard for industry best practice by evaluating building projects against eight environmental impact categories, including energy, water, indoor environment quality, and materials.

For more information, contact New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), PO Box 5286, Wellesley St, Auckland 1036, phone (09) 379 3996. Or visit the website: www.nzgbc.org.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas