HALGAN is easily recognised as the better choice to achieve a Greenstar Rating because of its documentable advantages in materials, energy, transport, water, emissions, land use and ongoing cost savings in maintenance.

Green Star “rating tools” consider a broad range of practices for reducing the environmental impact of buildings and to showcase innovation in sustainable building practices, while also considering occupant health and productivity and cost savings.

Whether a Developer, Hydraulic Engineer, Builder, Plumber or end user wanting to make a better environmental choice, the Green Star program contributes to sustainable and cost effective construction.

The Green Star rating principals are worth observing not just because it is environmentally “the right thing to do, but there measurable economic benefits.

Launched in 2003 by the not for profit Green Building Council of Australia(GBCA), the economic benefits of incorporating this voluntary national environmental rating system for buildings in Australia, means it is here to stay.

Since 2003, the GBCA has released environmental rating tools to rate the design and construction of sustainable office buildingsand interiors, education, healthcare, industrial, residential and retail centres. 

Pilot programs for Convention Centre design and Public Building as well as rating tools under development for Communities and Performance demonstrate Green Star’s evolving nature.

Green Star rating tools evaluate no single action, or product, but an aggregation of documented choices and actions over a range of 9 categories.Included within all Green Star rating tools are:

1    Materials

2        Management

3    Indoor Environment Quality

4    Energy

5    Transport

6    Water

7    Land Use and Ecology

8    Emissions

9    Innovation

No 1 Bligh Street SYDNEY, launched in May 2011 as a 6 Green Star (World Leadership) certified building featured the following initiatives in the project:-

Full height, naturally-ventilated internal atrium

Double skin column-free façade system, promoting maximum daylight and views

Low Volatile Organic Paints (VOC) paints, sealants, adhesives and carpets are used throughout the building to improve air quality

Roof-top solar thermal collectors which inject high-temperature energy into a solar cooling system; provides enough energy to allow 100 per cent more fresh air to be pumped through the building without any additional running costs

Low-temperature Variable Air Volume (VAV) hybrid with chilled beam within naturally-ventilated spaces

High-efficiency lighting

Perimeter lighting controlled by automatic photocell control

Timed lighting switches with manual override

270 bicycle spaces with accompanying locker @shower facilities

The 1^st use of black water recycling in a high-rise office building in Sydney that will save 100,000 litres of water daily, equivalent to an Olympic swimming pool every 2 weeks

Rainwater recycling for irrigation of plants on rooftop

Glazed and naturally-ventilated winter garden space at ground floor level.

Though innovative design is a factor, product choice is a cumulative factor in attaining your Green Star Certification.

The9 categories are divided into credits, each of which addresses an initiative that improves or has the potential to improve environmental performance.

Points are awarded in each credit for actions that demonstrate that the project has met the overall objectives of Green Star – “to showcase innovation in sustainable building practices, while also considering occupant health and productivity and cost savings”.

Once all claimed credits in each category are assessed, a percentage score is calculated and Green Star environmental weighting factors are then applied. These environmental weighting factors vary across states and territories to reflect diverse environmental concerns across Australia.

The fact is that no one thing, but a multitude of weighted major and minor decisions leads to accreditation. It’s not all about brilliance in concept and designbut a situation where product choice is a major factor. 

Green Points are earned in each of these categories, which are then added to determine the overall Green Star rating.

4 Star Green Star Certified Rating (score 45-59) signifies 'Best Practice' in environmentally sustainable design and/or construction

5 Star Green Star Certified Rating (score 60-74) signifies 'Australian Excellence' in environmentally sustainable design and/or construction

6 Star Green Star Certified Rating (score 75-100) signifies 'World Leadership' in environmentally sustainable design and/or construction

ONE (1) POINT can be difference betweenBest Practice,Australian Excellence or World Leadership

One thing for certain – GREENSTAR IS HERE TO STAY

All you have to do is say 'Green Star' and set a star level and everyone nods........one sentence to communicate a level of aspiration across half a dozen or more disciplines: that's pretty fantastic.[Mary Casey, Senior Consultant, (Project managers) McLachlan Lister SYDNEY]

The benefits of a green building may include:-

•         more flexible space planning

•         more productive and healthier environments for workers

•         “sick building syndrome” is overcome

•         access to financial incentives and tax credits

•         a baseline measure to earn carbon credits

•         lower insurance costs

•         increased interest by Ethical Investment Funds

•         a better industry /corporate image

•         Lower operating costs for both the building and tenant

•         Higher returns on investment

•         Future proofing assets

•         Faster lease take up

•         Improved tenant retention rates

Although Green Star certification requires a formal process, any project can freely download and use the Green Star tools as guides to track and improve their environmental attributes.

The trend however, is to utilisea GBCA service called ‘Green Star – Custom’  for developing rating tools for the design and construction of projects outside the scope of current Green Star rating tools by developing a Green Star rating tool specific to your sector or project.

Four companies - Coles, McDonald's, Stockland (retirement homes) and Rock Development Group (mixed developments) - have been working with the Green Building Council of Australia to develop special Green Star - Custom tools to rate projects outside the scope of the current Green Star system.These companies will now register projects for Greenstar rating.

"Now that their Green Star rating tools have been approved, we can expect to see Green Star-rated McDonald's restaurants, Coles supermarkets, Stockland retirement villages and mixed-use developments like loop in Canberra in the near future,"[GBCA's Chief Executive, Ms Romilly Madew].

We know all Green Star rating tools evaluate materials, management, Indoor Environment Quality, Energy, Transport, Water, Land Use and Ecology, Emissions and Innovation.

We know a Greenstar rating is the product of innovations but also choices, big and small, about the products used in the design and construction, with maintenance, sustainability and cost saving as contributing factors.

The following illustrates how HALGAN contributes to these factors and green rating tool factors.