Australia’s construction industry has cemented its overwhelming commitment to sustainability with its record-breaking achievements in 2023-24, as the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)’s latest Year in Focus report shows unprecedented demand for Green Star certification, significant policy advancements, and unique approaches to decarbonising the built environment.
The GBCA report announces a major milestone — the certification of over 1,000 buildings, fit-outs, and precincts under the Green Star rating system within a single year. This major record supersedes all previous accomplishments and emphasises the industry’s growing dedication to prioritising sustainability when it comes to standard core practices.
“This year has seen the Australian building sector truly step up,” said GBCA’s Chief Impact Officer, Jorge Chapa. “The record number of Green Star certifications reflects a fundamental shift in mindset, with sustainability now viewed as an opportunity to deliver better outcomes for both people and the planet.”
With the demand for sustainability certifications surging, the submission volumes have reportedly doubled in contrast to the previous year. Australia’s construction industry has cemented its overwhelming commitment to sustainability with its record-breaking achievements in 2023-24, as the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)’s latest Year in Focus report shows unprecedented demand for Green Star certification, significant policy advancements, and unique approaches to decarbonising the built environment.
During a three-month period, the GBCA noted 120 project submissions and more than 150 queries across the suite of Green Star rating tools. This increased activity pointed to a growing recognition of sustainable practices as key for energy efficiency, reduced emissions, and the prioritisation of enhanced quality of life for building occupants and the wider community.
Government policy has played an integral role in encouraging this transformation. The Net Zero in Government Operations Strategy — launched in November 2023 — has established new benchmarks by implementing Green Star requirements and electrification for government-owned buildings in Australia.
This targeted action underscores how policy leadership can spark industry-wide adoption of sustainable practices.
“These types of policies have a flow-on effect,” Chapa explained. “They not only establish high expectations for public developments but also raise the bar for private sector projects, encouraging innovation and accelerating the transition to net-zero buildings.” Alongside these new policy initiatives, collaboration across the construction has been integral in addressing shared challenges.
The University of Melbourne Arts and Cultural Building. www.greenreview.com.au “These types of policies have a flow-on effect,” Chapa explained.
“They not only establish high expectations for public developments but also raise the bar for private sector projects, encouraging innovation and accelerating the transition to net-zero buildings.”
Alongside these new policy initiatives, collaboration across the construction industry has been integral in addressing shared challenges.
The GBCA has formed strategic partnerships with international organisations — including the US Green Building Council, the UK’s Building Research Establishment, the Singapore Green Building Council, the Climate Bonds Initiative, the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor, and the Alliance HQE-GBC in France.
These collaborative endeavours seek to spread awareness of the crucial role that independent verification and certification schemes have in uncovering the financial resources and support needed to achieve global climate goals. “Global collaboration is essential for achieving sustainability in the built environment at scale, and sustainable finance is a critical tool for unlocking this potential,” Chapa said.
The GBCA also launched an updated tool designed to help investors identify assets on a path to net zero — the Green Star Performance v2. According to Jamie Wallis, Senior Manager, Buildings, Fitouts & Performance at GBCA, this advanced tool operates in line with leading investor and sustainable finance frameworks, as well as net zero expectation in the Climate Positive Pathway for Existing Buildings.
This online platform gives project teams access to valuable resources, including brochures detailing the benefits of certifying existing buildings under Green Star Performance.
Registrations for this tool opened on July 31, 2024. Hence, submissions for assessment through the online platform are now fully operational.
Since the start of this year, all new projects and portfolios have been required to register under the latest version of the rating tool (Performance v2). The digital platform has been designed to work alongside NABERS and assist sustainability teams in overseeing ESG reporting requirements more efficiently.
According to the GBCA report — which highlights diverse projects that have achieved Green Star certification and showcases the implementation of sustainable building practices across sectors — Sydney Modern (Art Gallery of NSW) is shown to be in the lead with a 6 Star Green Star rating for both design as well as its completed north wing.
Other notable achievements include Country Road Ballarat (retail), Sydney Swans HQ (sports), Eumemmerring Business Park (industrial), STARS Hospital (healthcare), Edmondson Park and Pendle Hill High Schools (education), and the University of Melbourne Arts and Cultural Building (higher education), demonstrating widespread sustainability commitments.
The GBCA has also applauded individuals and organisations that have displayed exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing sustainable building practices.
Labelled as “Green Star Champions”, they now serve as role models for the industry — inspiring others to embrace the prioritisation of sustainability and drive positive change.
“The remarkable growth we’re seeing is proof that the industry is ready to lead,” Chapa said. “By aligning our efforts, we can ensure every building, precinct and fitout contributes to a resilient, climate-positive future.”
According to the report, 64 million square metres of building space is Green Star certified, with 46 per cent of CBD office spaces holding at least one Green Star certification.
Each day, 3.4 million people visit Green Star-rated shopping centres, and over 930,000 individuals are administered care in Green Star-certified hospitals annually.
Over 935,000 people will live or work within the 76 Green Star-certified communities, with over 94,000 residing in Green Star-rated apartment buildings; including student residences. To date, more than 19,500 hectares of Green Star communities have been certified.
Australia’s construction industry has made impressive strides in sustainable building during the last year, with unprecedented growth in Green Star certifications, innovative policies, and international collaborations displaying a transformative shift towards a sustainable built environment.
This incredible implementation of green practices illustrates the industry’s commitment to developing a resilient, climate-positive future. As momentum builds, the challenge now rests in sustaining and driving progress — making sure that every built project contributes to a more sustainable future.