Circular Economy in South Australia’s Built Environment: Action Plan was launched in June 2023. It identifies actions that government, industry, the education sector and other stakeholders can work on together to set the state on the path toward a thriving circular economy commitment to achieve a circular economy.While some great examples from South Australia are […]

Air-tightness was first introduced in Green Star - Design & As-Built as an innovation challenge in 2014 with different level of targets, demonstrating best practice.  With the introduction of Green Star Buildings, air-tightness is now introduced as a Minimum Expectation to drive better building practice by incentivizing commissioning, including testing buildings for air tightness. 

As the world continues to transition towards cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy, innovation in solar provides new opportunities for energy storage and distribution. Join us for this interactive session as our experts unpack the opportunities that solar and storage present for the built environment through a series of short presentations followed by a dynamic […]

The challenge is clear - World-leading fitouts must be designed and built to be as close to fully circular as possible. As our built environment continues to grow, so does the need for healthy, resilient and positive fitouts inside our buildings for the benefit of the environment and the wellbeing of people. Now is the […]

Launching in October 2023, the Responsible Products Calculator and Database is an online tool for project teams to determine compliance with the Responsible Products credits (Responsible Structure, Envelope, Systems and Finishes) under Buildings v1.Behind the calculator is a database, containing a list of products compliant with Product Certification Initiatives.Products in this database have been awarded […]

Australia has signed on to the Paris Climate Change Agreement, committing to keep global warming to below 1.5C to 2C. The buildings industry has made a lot of progress in understanding the solutions for operational energy, and inevitably the proportion of impacts that is from embodied energy is increasing. One of the outcomes of the […]

The case for sustainable healthcare has never been stronger and the triple bottom line benefits of green certified facilities are clear.  From improved patient outcomes, better productivity and reduced energy costs, demand for sustainability is increasing from both internal and external stakeholders. But how do we rise to the challenges of designing and buildings green […]

Around the world, the real estate industry has increasingly embraced sustainable finance tools such as green loans and green bonds. However, greater collaboration is needed between the Australian real estate and finance sectors to reach our national climate goals and to unlock enormous environment and investment opportunities.   The Green Building Council of Australia with the […]

As professionals working in the built environment, we have a collective responsibility to care for Country and create spaces that are inclusive and respectful of the land, communities and history of the sites we are on. While efforts around co-design and collaboration have been increasing in recent years, there is still a long way to […]

The world of ESG is experiencing a shift as growing interest in social sustainability and an increased focus on transparency and reporting means that organisations are re-evaluating their ESG targets and approaches. A changing market also means that investors are now driving ESG demand, with their environmental and social values determining where money is being […]

Industrial buildings represent one of the fastest growing sectors of the built environment and within this surge, the demand for 5 and 6 Green Star rated projects is also increasing. However, with a reliance on high embodied carbon materials and a need to construct quickly, achieving the desired ratings can be challenging and project groups […]

This session examines the opportunities for transport as well as the momentum for EV takeup and looks at impacts and patterns of future mobility and the considerations needed to support the drivers for change.  Chair’s introductionJamie Wallis, Senior Manager - Buildings, Fitouts and Performance, Green Building Council of AustraliaThe outlook for EVs - exploring the […]

The notion of placemaking has shifted considerably in the last decade, shifting from a largely artistic-based plan to one that encompasses all levels of precinct and community design. This breakout will explore what placemaking means today through lenses including equitable design, First Nations-led placemaking and circular economy.Chair's introduction Nick Alsop, Senior Manager - Buildings, Precincts and […]

Future design plans need to consider how buildings and places are used and inhabited by all. From gendered spaces to neurodivergent design thinking, this breakout will look at strategies we can employ to create spaces built for equitable usage.Sensory design solutionsMagda Mostafa, Associate Chair, Department of Architecture Professor of Design, The American University in CairoPanel: […]