The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) says that with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recently confirming it will proactively pursue companies making sustainability claims that don’t stack up, companies can no longer overhype their green credentials, and that includes project teams claiming Green Star ‘equivalency’.

GBCA CEO Davina Rooney says in the 20 years since GBCA was established rating systems and market expectations have evolved enormously.

“In the early days, when Green Star’s scope was narrower, it made sense that some bespoke buildings would look for proxies simply because there wasn’t a rating available to achieve. Not so now. We’ve now certified everything from museums to metro stations, concert halls to communities, single homes to swimming pools.

“We have solid evidence that sustainability ratings can be deployed at scale, with more than 3,000 Green Star certifications and national recognition in frameworks and policies. The National Construction Code, for instance, recognises Green Star and NABERS as compliance pathways for non-residential buildings,” she says.

Green Star certification is a quality process accredited to ISO9001. This accreditation holds GBCA to account and ensures that ratings are auditable and replicable. In contrast, self-assessments benchmark a proposed development against Green Star credits without undertaking rigorous, independent assessment. These self-assessments cannot be used to communicate achieved green credentials as they are not verified.

Ms Rooney says Green Star’s reputation has become a trusted trademark, but misusing Green Star or NABERS trademark breaches that trust. In fact, the Australian Government’s Sustainable Procurement Guide notes that “projects that claim to meet the requirements of Green Star but are not certified are potentially in breach of trademark rules and may be accused of ‘greenwash’”.

“Last year, we promised to ramp up our efforts to eliminate equivalency claims. Since then, we’ve updated our marketing rules and website to make our position clear. Our Green Star business case and social infrastructure report also feature strongly-worded warnings.

“We’ve strengthened our partnership with NABERS and the evidence base for certification. Our research confirms that certification closes the gap between design ambition and actual performance.”

She says several state governments are now also showing leadership.

“The Queensland Government is using Green Star to ensure its carbon neutral target for the Brisbane Olympic Games is met. Homes Victoria has committed to minimum 5 Star Green Star certification and School Infrastructure NSW verifies its projects with Green Star. Renewal SA mandated 5 Star Green Star ratings for every building on Bowden’s 16.3-hectare site. The commitment of these state government organisations shows the real value of verification through certification.

“A growing number of local governments now see Green Star for what it is: strong on verified sustainable outcomes that they can rely on. Green Star mandates in some jurisdictions are on the horizon, and some local governments are already working with developers on a case-by-case basis to eliminate equivalency.

“With an abundance of standards, benchmarks, rating tools and frameworks on the market, the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council published a ratings snapshot last year to help people navigate the most common rating tools.”

ASBEC concluded: “Green Star, NABERS and IS certifications all rely on quality control mechanisms which are repeatable and auditable. You can trust the claims being made under these schemes.”