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, INTv1 | 0/0/20 | 11 - Lighting Comfort | General Illuminance and Glare Reduction | It is agreed that for the retail section of the supermarkets, the requirements of credits 11.2, 11.3, and 11.4 do not need to be applied. The more standard spaces, such as offices and staff rooms would still need to comply with these credits to achieve the points. | |
| General | DABv1, INTv1 | 13/2/2020 | 22 - Construction and Demolition Waste | Reporting Accuracy | The new Design and As-Built and Interiors tool, Construction and Demolition waste credit (Credit 22) has a minimum requirement that must be met BEFORE the other credits can be approved. The “Reporting Accuracy" credit criteria states the following: The minimum requirement is met where the waste contractors and waste processing facilities servicing the project demonstrate compliance with the Green Star Construction and Demolition Waste Reporting Criteria.” Construction and Demolition Waste Reporting Criteria Where waste contractors or waste processing facilities do not hold a ‘Compliance Verification Summary’ (as explained in the credit criteria) they shall, at a minimum, disclose to the project team how much of the Reporting Criteria has been implemented. The 'Disclosure Statement' will take place of the ‘Compliance Verification Summary’ in the project team's submission. They can be found here: https://new.gbca.org.au/construction-and-demolition-waste/ It is expected waste contractors or waste processing facilities will fill out the form in good faith and will show how they will be fully compliant with the Criteria within 12 months. If the waste contractors or waste processing facilities does not provide evidence of complying with the criteria or how the outstanding requirements will be complied within this timeline, the credit will not be awarded. Waste contractors and waste processing facilities are given the 12 month implementation period only once. A simplified line diagram of the Criteria is attached. All effected parties are strongly encouraged to read the Criteria document. | |
| Project Specific | INTv1 | 0/0/20 | 14 - Thermal Comfort | Thermal Comfort | Projects qualifying as “small fitouts” in accordance with the submission guidelines are able to claim the humidity requirement (point two) of Credit 13.1 as ‘Not Applicable’ when achieving compliance through the prescriptive approach, where the base building services do not provide humidity control | |
| General | DABv1 | 18/11/2020 | 25 - Stormwater | Stormwater Pollution Targets | It is agreed that the proper interpretation of “Untreated runoff” means the run-off from the completed development to the same design location and use as proposed with no design measures to reduce pollution | |
| General | DABv1, INTv1 | 0/0/20 | 8 - Operational Waste | Prescriptive Pathway: Facilities | NZGBC confirms that it is not a requirement of this pathway that the project implement an Operational Waste Management Plan (OWMP) or engage a waste auditor. The project team may use the updated documentation recommendations: Submission Template Site Plan and/or Architectural Plans — highlighting all relevant areas as referenced by the WMP, and demonstrating: B.1 Separation of Waste Streams; B.2 Dedicated Waste Storage Area; and B.3 Access to Waste Storage Area. B.1- Equipment list/schedule demonstrating that waste streams provided are met through adequate bins B.2- Calculations in regards to waste generation and bin sizing and reference to how these figures meet third party best practice guidelines e.g. The City of Sydney’s Policy for Waste Minimisation in New Developments 2005 B.3- Description of how waste collection areas adhere to best practices, as outlined within third-party best practice guidelines The key requirement is that evidence is provided to support each claim made within the Submission Template. | |
| General | DABv1 | 21/4/2020 | 25 - Stormwater | Stormwater Pollution Targets | The credit introduction states “25.2 STORMWATER POLLUTION TARGETS Where criterion 25.1 has been achieved, one (1) additional point is awarded where it is demonstrated that all stormwater discharged from the site meets the required pollution reduction targets for the identified contaminants of concern when compared to untreated runoff in accordance with the following requirements.” Table 25.1 Pollution Reduction Targets lists several pollutants including Zinc and Copper. It has been determined that if a project team can provide evidence as to why the building and its associated site will not generate these pollutants they are not required to include them in the model. For example, if it can be shown that a steel roof has been appropriately coated to remove the likelihood of zinc runoff than the project would not need to include Dissolved Zinc in the model. Please submit a TQ to NZGBC with supporting documentation if this is to be pursued. | |
| Project Specific | DABv1, INTv1 | 0/0/20 | 18 - Potable Water | Sanitary Fixture Efficiency | For the purposes of the Potable water credit 18B.1, the following fixtures and fittings may be excluded, as the water consumption will not be altered significantly by reducing the water flow: Bath taps, laboratory taps, and taps dedicated to cleaning and facility management. Kitchen or café tap ware, where the primary use is for pot fill and container filling. Kitchen/ Café Chilled, Boiling and Sparkling tap ware which are used to fill cups | |
| General | DABv1, INTv1 | 15/4/2020 | 29 - Innovation | Improving on Green Star Benchmarks - Construction and Demolition Waste | In the Appendix for Non-Innovation claims, the Submission Guidelines state that improving on the benchmark for Construction and Demolition Waste: Percentage Benchmark will not be awarded an Innovation. This is contradictory and incorrect. The Innovation point is available to be awarded. The last line of the Submission Guidelines regarding Construction and Demolition Waste: Percentage Benchmark can be ignored. | |
| General | DABv1 | 16/6/2020 | 18 - Potable Water | Fire System Test Water | The point states the following: “18B.5 Fire Protection System Test Water One (1) point is awarded when one of the following conditions is met: • The fire protection system does not expel water for testing; or • When sprinkler systems are installed, each floor must be fitted with isolation valves or shut-off points for floor-by-floor testing.” The aim of this credit is “To encourage building design that minimises potable water consumption in operations.” For the fire protection system test water point It is only applicable to situations where the building and environment benefit from having additional valves or other systems in place which reduce the amount of water used. A single-storey building does not achieve the second criteria above (shut-off points for floor-by-floor testing) by default and nor can they be awarded NA. Teams would need to demonstrate how their project would minimize water use during fire protection system test/maintenance to achieve this credit. | |
| Project Specific | DABv1 | 0/0/20 | 6 - Metering and Monitoring | Metering | The alternative proposed method of determining the energy use of the lighting at each floor through calculations rather than meters is accepted, provided that all power uses are metered and compliant with the Submission Guideline requirements. Where floors have multiple tenancies or specialist lighting systems then these must be metered as per the Submission Guidelines. |