Buildings going green gets greater support

Jane Henley

The Government has funded a project to develop an environmental rating system for commercial office blocks.

The Ministry for the Environment has given $60,000 to the new Green Building Council to study office building rating systems and find the one that best suits this country.

Australian office landlords and investors are scrutinised by the Green Star system, which gives an environmental rating to buildings, promotes better design and raises awareness of the benefits of sustainable buildings.

When the system is introduced in New Zealand, commercial landlords will get ticks for factors such as energy efficiency and use of natural resources.

Workshops will be held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch next month to investigate the new scheme.

The Auckland workshop is on April 4, from 1pm to 4.30pm, at Viaduct Harbour's Floating Pavilion. People can register for the event by visiting the council's website.

Professor Ray Cole, of the Canadian Green Building Challenge, said it was time for a points rating scheme for New Zealand buildings.

He helped establish an office-rating system in Canada and said New Zealand could look to international models when devising the best scheme here.

The new rating system would be similar to those that became mandatory some years ago for whiteware appliances.

Commercial landlords would be asked to conduct energy audits of their buildings. The council wants developers to achieve three green outcomes during the next three years. They are being asked to question whether they can reuse more materials and if they can recycle and refurbish rather than rebuild.

Advertisements for office towers are expected to rate buildings so tenants know how green the building is. And commercial landlords will be asked to attach a "green rating" sticker to show how good or bad their property is.

Towers could be fitted with special eco-lights; user-controlled ceiling fans might be used to minimise air-conditioning; and timber or aluminium louvres might control shading and sunlight.

The council has appointed Jane Henley, formerly the northern regional manager for the Sustainable Business Network, as chief executive.

The council was established a year ago. Britain, Europe, South America and the Middle East are all developing new councils to formulate strategies to encourage more green buildings.


How green can you go?

* Consider sustainable building strategies when planning a new building.
* Visit green buildings during the development brief for further inspiration.
* Investigate help from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.
* Budget on better returns from energy savings and rental increases.