• In office facilities, consideration should be given to the usage patterns of the building. Floor-by-floor sub-metering is appropriate if the entirety of the floor is an office area. If a floor has a significant component that differs from the principal use, for example a number seminar rooms, then this space should be sub-metered as well.
• In retail facilities, consideration should be giving to separately meter staff only areas, such as warehousing or office area, from the retail areas and tenancies, and separately sub-metered from the back of house and central systems.
• In an education building, the metering strategy should address the multiple uses in the facility. The kitchen, computer classrooms, auditoriums, gyms, swimming pool, laboratories, study rooms, classrooms and lecture halls all have different usage patterns. As such, the metering strategy should separately sub-meter those.
• In residential buildings, an effective mechanism to monitor energy and water consumption data should allow for the reporting of daily usage data. ‘Smart Metering’ systems supplied to all units is an acceptable method of meeting the requirements for distinct uses.
• In a building such as an industrial warehouse with a large floor plate, energy meters should be provided separately for lighting consumption, and other power consumption.

• Green Star - Design & As Built - Lighting Comfort: Minimum Lighting Comfort and General Illuminance and Glare Reduction
• Green Star Buildings - Light Quality: Lighting Comfort and Glare from Light Sources

• Dedicated end-of-trip facilities on another floor, easily accessible by a short walk (not through high traffic areas) or elevator.
• Dedicated end-of-trip facilities located outside of the building but within easy access. E.g. one end-of trip facility for a complex of buildings.
• Lockers provided within end-of-trip facilities

• Shower facilities on another floor or within tenancies, with access to them through high traffic areas, past tenancies, or though main part of building where lots of people are expected to be working or living.
• Showers provided within other bathrooms that are there to meet statutory accessibility requirements.
• Use of communal showers within a hotel/hostel environment, that customers and occupants use.
• Lockers provided far away from changing facilities

• Financial literacy
• Sustainable procurement

For credit 19 in Design and As-Built v1.0 and v1.1, as well as Life Cycle Impacts and Upfront Carbon Emissions credits in Green Star Buildings, the definition of Gross Floor Area must be based on the New Zealand Property Institute Measurement for Rentable Areas. This means covered car-parks (included within the drip line of the building) must be included in the definition of GFA.

The primary difference between ATTMA TSL2 Issue 1 and 2 is the change from being based on EN13829:2001 to ISO 9972 as well as Issue 2 improving the explanation of building envelope area, introducing co-pressurization for building extensions, adding clarity on test procedures (especially when multiple tubes are used in tall buildings). Issue 2 may be used in all cases. 

A signed and current certificate from a JAS-ANZ accredited third-party certifier, stating that a product complies with the relevant AS/NZS standards in the submission guidelines and confirming test results meet E1, E0 or Super E0, is acceptable evidence of compliance with formaldehyde emission limits of plywood, particle board, MDF, and LVL.

The relevant standards are as follows:
Product & Standard(s)
Plywood - AS/NZS 2269:2004, AS/NZS 2269:2008, AS/NZS 2269:2012
Particle Board - AS/NZS 1859.1:2004, AS/NZS 1859.1:2017
Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) - AS/NZS 1859.2:2004, AS/NZS 1859.2:2017
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) - AS/NZS 4357.4:2005

• Light sources may have a minimum Colour Rendering Index (CRI) of 80
• Light sources may have a MacAdam Ellipse or Standard Deviation Colour Matching (SDCM) of 5 or lower

Do I need to submit a General Question or a Technical Question for my project?

General Question

General Questions are sent via email to greenstarnz@nzgbc.org.nz when you have a query that is general in nature. General Questions are intended to provide general assistance with the user experience of the Green Star rating tools.

General Questions may include queries relating to:

• Navigating the NZGBC website
• Finding project details.
• Finding NZGBC resources (e.g., where to download Submission Guidelines or Leadership Challenges).

Note that General Questions are not technical in nature (i.e., do not relate to credits or rating tool requirements) and cannot be used as evidence in submissions. Questions that are technical in nature will be cancelled, and the submitter will be directed to resubmit as a Technical Question.

Technical Question

Technical Questions are submitted when you have a question that is technical in nature. This may include questions relating to:

• Requiring clarification on an item within a credit or rating tool.
• Confirming your interpretation of a credit
• Proposing an alternative solution to the credit requirements.
• Obtaining a response that you intend to use for a project or include in your Green Star submission.

Technical Questions should be project-specific and will be registered towards that project’s four complimentary Technical Questions unless discussed with the NZGBC.

Non-project-specific Technical Questions are generally free of charge, but may incur a fee at the discretion of the NZGBC. This may include questions relating to:

• Fixing an error in the rating tools
• Addressing missing/contradicting guidance, like a missing definition
• Area Definitions

What information should be included in my Technical Question?

• Reference the specific Submission Guidelines, including the category and credit, that requires clarification (Quote, page numbers and references of the Submission Guidelines). e.g. this question is about X credit, where it states "quote" pg#.
• A clear explanation of what you would like clarified. This is usually in a question format, rather than a statement. e.g. what does X mean?
• Where an alternative approach is being proposed, please clearly:
  • Explain the issue.
  • Outline your alternative proposed solution.
  • Short explanation to justify the alternative approach proposed.
  • Supporting documentation to justify the alternative approach.
• It is recommended you provide the preferred outcome/answer using standard TQ wording.

What can be expected in the response to my Technical Question?

Responses typically include:

• Confirmation of your interpretation, or an explanation if your interpretation is not correct.
• Clarification or answer to your question.
• Explanation of the requirements in the Submission Guidelines and what the project team needs to do.

What does a Technical Question NOT do?

• A Technical Question does not award points or confirm the outcome of a credit. This will be determined by the Certified Assessor(s) at the time of assessment.
• A Technical Question does not review the submission forms and evidence for credit compliance. This will be determined by the Certified Assessor(s) at the time of assessment.
• A Technical Question does not allow assessment comments to be removed or changed. Projects seeking further clarification on assessment comments should submit a post-assessment round clarification

Tips

Before submitting a Technical Question, please ensure to:

• Review the existing Green Star Technical Clarification Rulings Register.
• Carefully read the relevant credit in the Submission Guidelines, including Guidance, in its entirety.
• Review any associated calculator and calculator guide related to the question.
• Include a clear question - what are you seeking clarification on?
• Explain how you have interpreted the issue.
• Be clear and concise.
• Provide the preferred outcome in the TQ submission

For all other queries

Please refer to the below for contact details on all other queries:

• Registering a project for Green Star or Homestar: greenstarnz@nzgbc.org.nz & homestar@nzgbc.org.nz
• Education (Continuing Professional Development: education@nzgbc.co.nz
• Marketing & Communications: communications@nzgbc.org.nz
• Membership: membership@nzgbc.org.nz

For all other NZGBC enquiries, please get in touch with us via customerservices@nzgbc.org.nz

Project teams may use the table below for further guidance on the scoring metrics under the Market Transformation credit from Green Star Buildings. It would be expected that the initiatives proposed under the Market Transformation credit would be rated highly in at least three categories and medium in the remaining two. 

The metrics are: 

• Control of outcome: The initiative delivers a guaranteed outcome
• Scale of impact: The scale of impact is significant. For example, the outcome may satisfy multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Transformation potential: The initiative has the potential to transform an industry or sector
• Length of impact: The initiative delivers long-lasting impacts
• Value generation: The initiative can deliver benefits to both stakeholders (e.g., building owner or occupants) as well as the general public

Projects may choose an alternative compliance option instead of meeting the standard requirements of Credit 20.1: Structural & Reinforcing Steel by adhering to the following:

• Steel-framed buildings: At least 60% (by cost) of all fabricated steel components must achieve a Responsible Products Value (RPV) of 10 or more.
• Concrete-framed buildings: At least 60% (by mass) of all reinforcing bar and mesh must achieve an RPV of 10 or more.

Projects must still ensure that at least 95% of the building’s steel (by mass) is sourced from a Responsible Steel Maker.

RPVs can be calculated and evidenced using the Responsible Products Calculator available on the NZGBC website. For further guidance, refer to the Calculator’s Introduction tab and to Credit 6 in the Green Star Buildings NZ Submission Guidelines document.

Industrial projects may use the following alternative approach for warehouse-type spaces to determine the number of sampling points required to meet the TVOC and Formaldehyde Levels criteria in Credit Achievement.

The samples must be representative of where the occupants are likely to spend a majority of their time.

This approach applies to the total warehouse-type spaces, including spaces where paints and sealants are not used.

For office spaces in an industrial project, the number of samples is to be determined in accordance with the Submission Guidelines.

Intumescent paints may be exempt from the VOC compliance requirements of 13.1 - Paints, Adhesives, Sealants, and Carpets, provided the contractor submits a plan outlining how application will not occur in fully enclosed areas.

A Zero Carbon Action Plan is no longer required as a Minimum Expectations for Credit 23 - Energy Source, for all building types, provided that the project:

1. Is 100% fossil fuel free in operation, either via on-site renewable energy or grid supply.

Fossil fuels cannot be used on site for any domestic hot water, space heating or cooking under any circumstances, regardless of base build or tenant use. Fossil fuels for industrial processes may be excluded. Energy sources supplied to tenants, such as gas lines that result in fossil fuels being used on site are included in the credit scope and are therefore not permitted.

2. Either of the following criteria is achieved in Credit 24:

• Elimination of high-GWP refrigerants. Refrigerants with GWP of 10 or less may be considered compliant with the credit.

or

• 100% of emissions from refrigerants are offset