1. Leading Innovation

2. Exceeding Benchmarks

3. Beyond Green Star/ Homestar

Improves the sustainability of a building AND

Contributes to broader market transformation in NZ or the world

• First use of a product or process in NZ which has environmental

benefit, and benefit to wider industry

Eligible Green Star materials credits:

MAT-2 Building Reuse

MAT-3 Sustainable Materials

MAT-6 Timber

MAT-7 Concrete & Aggregate

MAT-8 Steel

Eligible Homestar materials credits:

MAT-1 Materials Selection

MAT-2 VOCs & Toxic Materials

Innovation Challenges

Global Sustainability

For example:

LEED Canada – Regional Priority Credit “Durable Building”

To minimise materials use and construction waste over a building’s life

resulting from inappropriate material selection or premature failure of

the building and its constituent components and assemblies.

• Beyond what is currently defined in Green Star

• Broader sustainable development principles: social,

economic and cultural

Open-ended subject areas which:

• Identify an issue for research and exploration but don’t

specify how to achieve it

• Offer minimum requirements for evidence

• Reward projects for incorporating strategies that address

the identified issue.

• Adaptation & Resilience

• Contractor Education

• Culture, Heritage & Identity

• Financial Transparency

• Market Intelligence & Research

• Marketing Excellence

• Material Life Cycle Impacts

• Social Return on Investment

• Environmental Product Declarations

• Earthquake Resilience

• Circular Economy (in development)

AIM:

To assess and reduce the environmental

impacts of building materials for the

whole building over its entire life cycle.

Criteria:

1 point is available where a whole-of-building,

whole-of life cycle assessment for the project is conducted.

Up to 5 points are available where the results are compared to a reference case.

Points are awarded based on the extent of environmental impact reduction in six

categories when compared to the reference building.

An additional point is awarded where the LCA includes reporting against 5 additional

impact categories.

Reference

project

Proposed

project

Impact Categories Additional Impact Categories

Climate change Human toxicity

Stratospheric ozone depletion potential Land use

Acidification potential of land and water Resource depletion – water

Eutrophication potential Ionizing radiation

Tropospheric ozone formation potential Particulate matter

Mineral depletion

Fossil fuel depletion

AIM:

To encourage the use of products and

materials for which life-cycle information

is available.

“EPD, underpinned by life cycle assessment (LCA), can provide an optimal

approach to a more robust and consistent evaluation of the environmental

performance of New Zealand buildings across the life cycle.” – BRANZ report

Criteria:

Up to 2 points are awarded where a minimum of 2 permanently installed products

hold a current EPD. The benchmarks for achievement are as follows:

• 1 point where 2 different products hold current EPDs

• 2 points where 6 or more different products hold current EPDs

• All products must be sourced from different manufacturers.

• Product-specific EPDs are recognised as one whole product.

• Industry-wide EPDs are valued as one half of a whole product

• At least one product (for one point) or two products (for two points) must be a

product recognised within the Green Star Materials category credits.

AIM:

To encourage and recognise projects that

employ strategies to mitigate the impact

of earthquake and seismic movement

over the life of a building.

AIM:

To encourage design for waste

minimisation, adoption of a circular

economy model, and best practice waste

management.

Suggested Criteria:

• Circular Economy Model Office

• Design for Waste Minimisation

• Best Practice Waste Management

• Write your own Innovation Challenge

• You can identify an issue within the industry

• Flexible

• Responsive

• Future-proofed.

1. Leading Innovation

2. Exceeding Benchmarks

3. Beyond Green Star/ Homestar

Go for it!

We would love to hear your ideas.

We are here to help!

www.nzgbc.org.nz