GBCA launches Green Star Industrial rating tool

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) released the Green Star - Industrial v1 tool, after a 2-year development period involving extensive stakeholder feedback and pilot phase.

“The days of industrial facilities being nothing more than big tin sheds on concrete slabs are gone,” says GBCA Green Star Executive Director Robin Mellon. “Industrial facilities can be intelligent buildings. This doesn’t necessarily mean investing in high-tech solutions, but rather applying commonsense principles of good passive design. Just like other green buildings in the office, retail, education and residential sectors, green industrial facilities can save occupants and owners millions of dollars in reduced energy costs alone.”

The rating tool assesses the environmental attributes of new and refurbished industrial buildings in every state. The industrial base building and its services are assessed under the rating tool. Fit-outs and industrial processes are not included in the assessment.

The Industrial rating tool includes two sector-specific credits called ‘Noise Pollution’ and ‘Small Occupied Spaces’. A number of credits have been significantly improved and are featured in this rating tool for the first time, including the revised Materials credits for ‘PVC’, ‘timber’ and ‘steel’.

The Transport credit for public transport has also been revised to accommodate regional differences in transportation needs; the methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions now based on the energy efficiency requirements in section J of the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Refinements to the calculators and credits have already received positive feedback from industry.

“This new tool will help the industrial sector to catch up to other sectors that have taken an early lead in green building,” says BlueScope Buildings’ National Business Development Manager, Carmelo San Gil. “Most companies and the people within them want to do the right thing, but often don’t know where to start. The Green Star Industrial tool can provide useful guidance and help Australia to become a world leader in green industrial facilities.”

ESD consultant John Moynihan, from Ecolateral, states: “The industrial building sector is an area where substantial savings can be made in terms of energy, greenhouse gas and water savings. At the same time, industrial buildings usually house a number of diverse functions under the one roof, making it challenging to track environmental performance. The Industrial tool provides clarity and guidance during the design phase of industrial buildings to ensure owners and operators get a good mix of economic and environmental outcomes.”

The Industrial tool can be downloaded for self-assessment and online registration from www.gbca.org.au.