Rate your community with the Green Star - Communities tool

A new sustainability rating tool is set to transform Australia’s cities and communities. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has released Green Star - Communities, an independent, national rating tool which will drive more sustainable, productive and liveable communities.

“Green Star - Communities is one of the world’s first rating tools designed to encourage higher levels of sustainability across a broad range of issues,” said Romilly Madew, the GBCA’s Chief Executive.

“Green Star - Communities will support the planning, design and delivery of communities, precincts and neighbourhoods that prioritise environmental sustainability - such as minimising energy and water consumption, and reducing dependence on motor vehicles - alongside broader issues such as economic prosperity, liveability and community health and wellbeing.”

The GBCA brought together industry and all levels of government to create the rating tool, which will benchmark community developments against six categories: Liveability; Economic Prosperity; Environment; Design; Governance; and Innovation.

Speaking at the industry release of the rating tool in Canberra, ACT Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer and Minister for Economic Development, Andrew Barr, said, “The introduction of the Green Star - Communities rating tool can only continue to improve our standard of building and planning and I look forward to the benefits of its implementation in future developments around the ACT.”

Maria Efkarpidis from principal sponsor Rock Development Group said, “This assessment tool is an important step for the Australian building and construction industry. It follows global trends that consider the sustainability of entire communities and precincts from the beginning to the end of the development process. This tool will set the standard for building genuinely green communities.”

Madew concluded, “Green Star - Communities joins a growing suite of Green Star rating tools trusted by industry. Green Star - Communities will be a game changer. We now have a practical, holistic rating system able to transform the talk about the future of our communities into actions and results.”

The official ministerial launch of Green Star - Communities will be made by the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese, at the Built Environment Meets Parliament conference in Canberra on Wednesday 27 June.