What's taking place in Melbourne
Green Building Forum returns to Melbourne in October 2026, bringing sustainability practitioners together for a deeper dive into Green Star in practice.
Designed for those actively working to shape the future of the built environment, the event will explore the latest developments through project case studies, insightful discussions on critical issues and industry updates.
With multiple opportunities for connection through in-program workshops and a networking drinks reception, the forum offers a unique platform for exchanging ideas and building relationships across the sector.
For those looking to extend their experience, an optional site visit to a Green Star project on the following day will provide an exclusive opportunity to see sustainability leadership in action.
This is a must-attend event for professionals committed to creating a more sustainable built environment.
Can’t make it to Melbourne? Join the forum via Sydney’s virtual live stream on Wednesday 18 November and access key presentations, industry updates and project case studies from wherever you are. The virtual experience has been designed to help you stay connected to the latest Green Star developments and industry conversations without the need to travel.
Agenda
The Melbourne program has been designed to showcase technical project insights, highlight Green Star and industry updates and deliver practical learning experiences through peer-to-peer discussion and networking opportunities. Explore critical issues, hear directly from project leads and Green Star assessors and gain practical insights that can be applied to projects today.
- Driving circularity outcomes through better project collaboration
- Unlocking circular procurement and specification pathways
- The role of products and materials in enabling circular outcomes
- Scaling innovation to deliver measurable impact
Delivering ambitious sustainability outcomes in a highly complex healthcare environment requires more than good intentions.
This session explores how the New Footscray Hospital project leveraged Green Star to drive performance across energy efficiency, water conservation, materials selection and embodied carbon reduction, while balancing the stringent operational and clinical requirements of a major hospital development.
Delivering measurable sustainability outcomes in cold storage warehousing
Hear how Warehouse 3 at Somerville Road Estate achieved a 5 Star Green Star rating through innovative design, high-performance building envelope solutions, and strong project collaboration that delivered measurable sustainability outcomes.
Reducing embodied carbon is only part of the solution. As the built environment accelerates towards net zero, the next challenge is scaling circularity across the entire value chain.
This session will explore how Interface is translating ambitious climate commitments into measurable action through science-based targets, supply chain collaboration, material innovation and circular design. Discover how the Good Design Never Ends strategy is helping transform flooring from a linear product into a circular resource, and what this means for the future of Green Star Interiors projects.
This panel will explore how the built environment can drive carbon reductions through innovation, supply chain engagement and smarter material choices.
- Turning carbon reduction goals into measurable outcomes through supply chain engagement and collaboration
- Exploring how innovation across manufacturing, design and delivery is reducing embodied carbon
- How ratings, benchmarking and performance data can help organisations identify, prioritise and track carbon reduction opportunities
- Which policies, frameworks and reporting requirements are making the biggest impact?
- Navigating the trade-offs between carbon, cost, availability, performance and constructability
The industry roadmap to 2035: Moving from ideas to action
How do we build the future we want?
The Green Building Council of Australia has set bold commitment targets for 2035. The four impact areas of industry focus include reducing upfront carbon by 60%, accelerating the circularity rate by 15%, achieving a measurable biodiversity net gain, and creating healthier, more resilient places for people and communities.
Now the challenge is turning that ambition into action. This interactive session will seek to identify the barriers, opportunities and practical steps needed to deliver these outcomes at scale. This is the time to collaborate and shape an industry-led roadmap for achieving the GBCA's 2035 commitments and answer one critical question: what must we start doing today to create the sustainable built environment we want by 2035?
Overcoming barriers on a tricky Green Star project
This interactive workshop will explore how to approach complex and unconventional Green Star projects, unpack credit intent, and identify pathways when standard compliance isn't possible. The session will introduce GSAPs (experienced and new) to key stakeholders in a Green Star project, deliver an overview of the certification process and will provide you greater confidence in developing robust submissions and Technical Questions.
What does it take to embed sustainability across a complex, city-shaping cultural precinct?
This session will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Melbourne Arts Precinct Redevelopment, exploring the strategies, challenges and lessons learned in applying Green Star and delivering ambitious sustainability outcomes. From carbon reduction and climate resilience to public realm enhancement and stakeholder collaboration, gain an understanding into the decisions, trade-offs and innovations that helped turn sustainability aspirations into measurable outcomes.
Explore how Yitpi Yartapuultiku, the Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Port Adelaide, brings Kaurna-led design, cultural governance and environmental stewardship together in a landmark community facility.
This session will unpack the project's 6 Star Green Star certification, recognised as World Leadership in sustainable design, construction and operation, and the practical outcomes behind the rating, including an all-electric building powered by renewable energy, major reductions in operational energy, upfront carbon and potable water use, a restored Living Shoreline, enhanced biodiversity, circular economy initiatives and a Healthy Country Plan supporting long-term care for land, water and community.
Insights from the leaders driving change
Hear from the practitioners, project teams and sustainability experts helping to shape the future of Australia’s built environment. Our speaker lineup will share firsthand project experience, lessons learned and practical approaches to delivering better outcomes through Green Star.
Hear from industry practitioners shaping the built environment
Kelly Macmorran
James Elks
Rohan Madathanapalli
Sian Willmott
Jessica Bennett
Aidan Mullan
Jim Stewart
Deepak Chopra
Priyanka Mohite
Jacob Potter
Damon Cuming
Dr. Gerard Healey
Hear directly from GBCA
Davina Rooney
Jorge Chapa
Emma Bezzina
Elham Monavari
Jamie Wallis
Nick Alsop
Real projects. Real outcomes.
Get an in-depth look at three of Australia’s most noteworthy Green Star projects through detailed and technical case studies which will be presented at the conference by members of the project teams. They will share the design decisions, challenges and outcomes behind these innovative developments, with dedicated time for audience questions and discussion, allowing attendees to explore the technical details most relevant to their own work.
New Footscray Hospital
Presenter: Priyanka Mohite – Sustainability Consultant, Cundall
Melbourne Arts Precinct redevelopment
Presenters:
- Kelly MacMorran – Design Director, Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation (Development Victoria)
- Jessica Bennett – Sustainability Leader, Victoria, Aurecon
Yitpi Yartapuultiku Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Adelaide
Presenters:
- Jacob Potter – Associate, dsquared Consulting
- Ashley Halliday – Director, Ashley Halliday Architects
Site tour - Go beyond the forum
Extend your Green Building Forum experience with an exclusive site visit of 500 Bourke Street. This guided tour will provide behind-the-scenes insight into a leading project, offering attendees the opportunity to see sustainable design and delivery strategies in practice.
500 Bourke Street is a retrofitted A Grade office tower in the heart of Melbourne’s legal and corporate district – Originally built in 1978, this Brutalist architectural icon has undergone a once-in-a-generation transformation, becoming net zero in base building operation.
The revitalised tower features 34 fully refurbished office floors, breakout spaces, flexible meeting rooms, and wellness-focused amenities including a premium end-of-trip facility, outdoor terraces, and green spaces for teams to recharge. A vibrant ground plane includes a barista café, destination dining from names like MoVida and Rosa’s Canteen, and a north-facing retail piazza – all connected to Melbourne’s renowned laneway culture.
500 Bourke demonstrates how the sustainable office experience can be reimagined by retrofitting rather than demolishing, while delivering a contemporary experience for a modern workforce to thrive.
Meeting point:
Concierge, 500 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
When:
Wednesday 28th October at 9:30–10:30am
Duration:
1 hour tour
Capacity:
Spots limited, book early to secure your place
Hosts:
- Chris Maloney – Senior Facilities Manager, CBRE
- Katrina Cheung – Senior Customer Experience Manager, CBRE
- Jessica Hou – Property Manager, CBRE
500 Bourke Street
Before the Badge: Future Green Leaders Breakfast Catch-up
Join us for a casual breakfast catch-up from 7:15am to 8:15am before Green Building Forum and connect with other emerging sustainability professionals in your city. Enjoy coffee and breakfast on us, make new connections, and continue the conversation before collecting your badge for the day.
With thanks to our Future Green Leaders Program Partner, Investa, for supporting this initiative.
Places are strictly limited.
Venue information
Green Building Forum Melbourne will be held at The Glasshouse.
The Glasshouse
Olympic Park Oval, Olympic Blvd, Melbourne VIC, Australia
Entry
Please use the front main entrance of the venue and head up the short stairs to the foyer. There is also an elevator available located on the right side upon entering.
Getting there
Plan your trip using PTV’s Journey Planner.
The nearest tram stop is 7C-MCG Gates 4-7/John Cain Arena (Melbourne City) which is across the road. The map below showing the route in yellow. From here it is approximately a 10 minute walk.
Bicycle parking at Melbourne Park, where the Glasshouse venue is located, is available on Olympic Boulevard, outside Rod Laver Arena and John Cain Arena. Cyclists need to provide their own locks, for further info you can visit Melbourne Park website.
Public parking is available at the Eastern Plaza Car Park via Entrance D on Olympic Boulevard. Parking is subject to availability and fees set by Melbourne & Olympic Parks, usually $7.50, but prices may increase during events.
We strongly recommend pre-booking to secure a spot: Pre-book here.
Alternatively, there are reasonably priced metered parking spots on Alexandra Avenue, just a short walk across the Swan Street Bridge
Last updated: 31 August 2026