Green Star Fitouts overview

Introducing Green Star Fitouts

Australia’s new sustainability rating tool for better fitouts

A rating tool for the sustainable design and construction of new fitouts.

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Green Star Fitouts overview

Resources | Register a project | Development

Current version: v1

Released:
18 March 2026

First launched:
2026

Next version: v1.1

In consultation: No

Site-wide credits approach: No
Multiple Building Single Rating: No
Volume certification pathway: In development

Why Green Star Fitouts?

Fitouts bring spaces to life, but their impact extends well beyond what you see.

Replaced every 5–7 years, interiors are one of the most frequently changed and least examined parts of a building. Each cycle shapes carbon, waste, health, cost and brand outcomes — often unseen, yet repeated again and again.

For a long time, these impacts sat outside the spotlight. But as expectations rise around circularity, climate performance and healthier interiors, these once-hidden impacts can no longer be overlooked.

Green Star Fitouts provides a practical way forward.

The hidden impacts of fitouts

Beyond finishes and layouts, fitout decisions carry environmental, health and commercial impacts that can no longer be overlooked.

Carbon

32% of a commercial office building’s lifecycle emissions come from fitouts

As Scope 3 reporting becomes mandatory, unmanaged fitout emissions create growing compliance and reputational risk.

Waste

The average commercial fitout generates 368.6 tonnes of waste.

With circular economy expectations rising and 22% of investors now assessing circularity, unmanaged fitout waste is becoming a material risk.

Health

Fitouts directly influence air quality, acoustics, lighting and thermal comfort.

Poor interior decisions can weaken wellbeing and tenant experience — affecting retention, complaints and leasing performance.

Brand and reputation

Fitouts are a visible signal of quality and values.

Misaligned fitouts can undermine sustainability commitments, increase greenwashing risk and erode long-term brand perception.

A practical way forward

Green Star Fitouts is a clear, practical framework built around six priority areas that matter most. It gives project teams a ready-made pathway to deliver lower-carbon, lower-waste, healthier and more adaptable fitouts — interiors designed to perform today and evolve for tomorrow.

What it covers

A world-first category, Circular guides teams to design interiors that prioritise reuse and adapt over time. It provides practical guidance to keep materials in use for longer, design for adaptability rather than demolition, and enable future reuse from the outset.

Credits:

Maximising reuse
Enabling multiple uses
Enabling long life
Enabling future reuse
Circularity Measurement

What it covers

The Responsible category helps project teams navigate recognised product certification initiatives and understand how certified products score within Green Star. It makes it faster and easier to identify materials that are responsibly sourced, transparent, ethically produced and support circular outcomes. It also rewards sustainability education, resource recovery and a good handover process.

Credits:

Industry development
Responsible building selection
Responsible fitout delivery
Responsible handover
Responsible procurement
Responsible finishes and joinery
Responsible partitions
Responsible furniture
Responsible equipment and fixtures

What it covers

The Healthy category provides guidance on the key fitout elements that shape wellbeing and comfort. It supports the delivery of interiors with cleaner air and low-toxicity materials, improved lighting, acoustics and thermal performance, ergonomic and inclusive layouts, and stronger connections to nature.

Credits:

Clean air
Light quality
Acoustic comfort
Low toxin materials
Ergonomics
Connection to nature
Thermal comfort
Amenity and comfort

What it covers

The Positive category helps project teams reduce the carbon impact of fitouts by cutting operational emissions, lowering upfront carbon through design and materials, and credibly managing emissions that can’t be avoided.

Credits:

Fully Electric
Powered by renewables
Energy efficient
Water efficient
Upfront carbon reduction
Upfront carbon compensation

What it covers

The People category drives fitouts that prioritise safe, inclusive construction practices and culturally respectful design. This includes promoting workforce diversity and reducing physical and psychosocial risks on site, engaging meaningfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to recognise culture and heritage, and creating interior spaces that are accessible and welcoming to people of diverse backgrounds and needs.

Credits:

Construction site culture
First Nations Equity (AU only)
Tohu Mauri Ora (NZ only)
Procurement and workforce inclusion
Design for equity

What it covers

The Leadership category recognises projects that go beyond standard practice to drive industry change. It rewards innovation, transparency and measurable impact that accelerates market transformation.

Credits:

Market transformation
Leadership challenges

Built for every role in the fitout journey

From offices to retail, education and more, Green Star Fitouts adapts across diverse fitout types and supports every stakeholder involved — from building owners and tenants to architects and contractors. Explore tailored guidance for your role below.

For building owners

Green Star Fitouts offers a practical, scalable pathway to reduce Scope 3 emissions, cut waste and carbon risk, and turn the hidden impacts of fitouts into measurable, manageable outcomes.

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For corporate tenants

Green Star Fitouts gives corporate tenants a practical way to redesign workplaces that support wellbeing, reduce carbon and waste, and demonstrate authentic ESG leadership.

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For retail tenants

Green Star Fitouts helps retail brands turn store environments into a visible expression of their sustainability commitments — reducing impact while enhancing the customer experience.

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Need help transitioning your Green Star Interiors project?

Understand key dates and essential information to help you navigate the change with confidence.

How it works

Green Star Fitouts has three core components that work together:

Minimum Expectations

All Green Star Fitouts projects must meet a set of Minimum Expectations. These establish a strong baseline — ensuring the fitout maximises opportunities to integrate reused products, delivers higher performance in energy, water and health, and aligns with key outcomes of the Climate Positive Pathway. The below 10 key things summarise what the Minimum Expectations will ensure.

Identify opportunities to include reused elements in the fitout.
Implement site practices that support a reduction in wasted materials.
Be verified to work and be maintainable over time.
Provide improved air quality and ensures procurement of low toxin materials.
Provide good lighting and acoustic comfort.
Be fully electric.
Be water and energy efficient.
Have lower upfront carbon.
Ensure safe and inclusive site conditions for contractors.
Be designed to consider the diverse needs of our population

Deliver on the Climate Positive Pathway

Projects must achieve a set of required credits that drive meaningful reductions in upfront and operational greenhouse gas emissions. This supports owners and tenants in managing carbon impacts across the fitout lifecycle.

Fully electric: The fitout does not use fossil fuels for heating,
cooling, cooking or power for items installed by the fitout.
Powered by renewables: The tenant/fitout owner procures renewable energy.
Highly efficient: Has energy and water-efficient products.
Built with lower upfront carbon: Uses lower carbon products and incentivises change in the supply chain.
Offset with nature: Compensates for upfront carbon emissions via nature-based solutions or certified carbon neutral products.

Achieve additional points

Beyond the required elements, projects target additional credits to reach their desired rating. Teams choose the pathways most relevant to their goals — whether that’s carbon, circularity, health and wellbeing, responsible materials, cost efficiencies, or all of the above.

Understanding the ratings

Green Star Fitouts offers three rating levels, providing flexibility depending on the ambition and scale of the project.