Australian Green Building Council

Australian Green Building Council
Name	Australian Green Building Council
Formation	2002
Type	Non-profit organisation
Headquarters	Sydney, New South Wales
Region served	Australia
Leader title	CEO
Affiliations	World Green Building Council

Australian Green Building Council The Australian Green Building Council is a national non-profit organisation established to promote sustainable environmentalism in the built environment across Australia, advancing high-performance sustainability standards, rating systems, and industry best practice. It developed market mechanisms and voluntary certification programs to influence corporate actors such as Lendlease, Mirvac, Stockland, Westfield Group, and public agencies such as the New South Wales Government, Victoria (state), and the Commonwealth of Australia. The council interacts with international bodies including the World Green Building Council, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the International WELL Building Institute.

History

Founded in 2002 amid rising attention to climate policy exemplified by the Kyoto Protocol and debates involving the Australian Greenhouse Office and ministers from John Howard administrations, the council responded to campaigns from environmental NGOs such as Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace, and Friends of the Earth (Australia). Early collaborators included professional bodies like the Australian Institute of Architects, the Property Council of Australia, and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. The organisation established national standards influenced by precedents such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system from the United States Green Building Council and Europe's BREEAM. Key milestones included the launch of the Green Star rating suite, strategic alliances with corporations including Cbus Property, public debates involving the Climate Change Authority (Australia), and participation in national inquiries such as hearings before the House of Representatives of Australia and submissions to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Structure and Governance

The council operates as an incorporated association with a board drawn from sectors represented by members such as CBRE Group, JLL (company), Knight Frank, and institutional investors like AustralianSuper and IFM Investors. Its governance arrangements reflect input from advisory committees including representatives from the Engineers Australia, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, and the Planning Institute of Australia. Executive leadership liaises with regulators including the Australian Building Codes Board and engages with standards bodies like Standards Australia. Governance controversies have at times involved debates among stakeholders such as state governments, property developers, and NGOs represented by GetUp! and academia from institutions including the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, and the Australian National University.

Green Star and Rating Tools

The council developed the Green Star suite as a voluntary rating tool analogous to LEED and BREEAM, covering categories such as energy, water, materials, indoor environment quality, and innovation. Green Star assessments are applied to projects by accredited professionals from consultancies like Arup (company), WSP Global, AECOM, and Hansen Yuncken. The rating process uses technical metrics influenced by research from bodies including the Australian Energy Market Operator, the CSIRO, and the Australian Building Codes Board, and aligns with international protocols including the Paris Agreement goals for emissions. Green Star has produced certified buildings involving developers such as Mirvac Group, tenant fitouts for corporations including Google (company), and large-scale precincts developed by companies like Dexus. The tool ecosystem expanded to include lifecycle assessment tools, performance verification, and compatibility work with standards such as ISO 14001 and ISO 50001.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs include education and credentialing for accreditation professionals, technical guidance for retrofit programs used by councils like the City of Sydney and state programs such as Victoria's Energy Upgrades. Initiatives span partnerships with research organisations including the Australian Research Council, pilot projects with social housing providers such as Housing NSW, and collaborations with industry groups such as the Property Council of Australia and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator for sustainable construction logistics. Public-facing campaigns have been coordinated with consumer groups like the Australian Council of Trade Unions and environmental NGOs, while innovation initiatives have linked to incubators and investors including Startmate and Blackbird Ventures for cleantech in the built environment.

Advocacy and Policy Influence

The council engages in policy advocacy through submissions to inquiries by the Parliament of Australia, consultations with the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (Australia), and participation in state planning reviews in New South Wales, Victoria (state), and Queensland. Its policy work intersects with national frameworks such as the National Construction Code and energy market reforms overseen by the Australian Energy Regulator. The organisation has lobbied for incentives and regulations affecting emissions reporting, disclosure regimes embraced by financial regulators like the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and procurement standards adopted by bodies such as the Department of Defence (Australia). Advocacy partners have included trade unions, property groups, civic NGOs, and international counterparts like the World Green Building Council.

Membership and Industry Engagement

Membership comprises corporations, consultants, academics, and local councils including members from Lendlease Corporation, Woolworths, Commonwealth Bank, and municipal members such as Brisbane City Council and City of Melbourne. Industry engagement occurs via accredited training, technical advisory services, events with professional bodies such as the Green Building Council of Australia-affiliated networks, and conferences that host speakers from organisations like the International WELL Building Institute and the World Green Building Council. Collaborative research projects have linked universities including Monash University, University of New South Wales, and RMIT University with firms such as John Holland, facilitating knowledge transfer through sector partnerships and standards development.

Category:Non-profit organisations based in Australia