Green Star Technical Clarification Rulings
Technical Clarifications for Green Star represent our answers to Technical Questions submitted by projects, and provide further guidance and reference to others. The list is regularly updated.
There are two types of Technical Clarifications listed in the table below:
General Clarifications
These are extensions to the guidance provided in the Submission Guidelines. They clarify and sometimes supersede the original Credit Criteria or
Compliance Requirements. General Clarifications set precedent for future project teams to follow. Should a project team wish to apply a general clarification to its project, there is no requirement for further Technical Questions to be submitted. NZGBC Assessors will also use them as precedents to assess submissions.
Project Specific Clarifications
These are published as references for other projects but, unlike General Clarifications, they do not set precedent. They often relate to special
situations where multiple prerequisites exist for a particular project and are less likely to reoccur to another project. Therefore, rulings set for Project Specific Clarifications are often conditional and will likely vary for other projects. Each project still needs to submit its own Technical Questions and provides evidence relating to its own building in order to have a similar ruling approved for that specific building.
Should you wish to apply any Technical Clarification for legacy rating tools to your projects, please submit a Technical Question to the NZGBC to
explain why and how it applies. You can download the Technical Question form here
| Clarification Type | Tool Version | Month Released | Credit Name | Sub-credit Name | Tool Category | Amendment/Approved Ruling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | DABv1.1 | 1/4/2023 | 15 - Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | ||
| General | DABv1 | 1/10/2019 | 20 - Responsible Building Materials | Permanent Formwork, Pipes, Flooring, Blinds and Cables |
An AA1000 Licensed Assurance Provider can provide Auditor Verification for Green Star PVC certification. The AA1000 Account-Ability Standards, an international methodology for sustainability-related assurance engagements, is considered an ‘equivalent national or international auditor accreditation system’ as endorsed by the Vinyl Council. A Licenced-Assurance Provider under this standard is qualified to sign off on PVC best practice audit/assurance documentation. |
|
| General | DABv1 | 1/9/2021 | 0 - General | |||
| General | DABv1 | 1/2/2023 | 18 - Potable Water | Potable water | ||
| General | DABv1 | 1/10/2019 | 19 - Life Cycle Assessment/Impacts | Life Cycle Impact- Building Reuse | ||
| General | DABv1 | 1/11/2020 | 18 - Potable Water | Fire System Test Water | ||
| General | DABv1 | 1/8/2021 | 17 - Sustainable Transport | Sustainable Transport | ||
| General | DABv1, DABv1.1 | 1/1/2025 | 23 - Ecological Value | Ecological Value |
The ecological enhancements to existing features of ecological value can be included in the ‘Ecological Value Calculator’ and can be counted twice but the application should be supported with sufficient explanation and justification and accompanied by relevant plans and illustrations. Where enhancements form only a portion of a feature then the enhancement area entered into the ‘Ecological Value Calculator’ should reflect only the proportion of improvement. |
|
| General | DABv1 | 1/11/2020 | 0 - General | |||
| General | DABv1 | 1/3/2021 | 17 - Sustainable Transport | Sustainable Transport |