Here is the amended worked example of how the percentage of total Portland cement reduction is determined when comparing the reference case and the actual case.

The Responsible Products Framework may be used in lieu of the NZGBC’s Framework for Product Certification Scheme. The following Responsible Products Value (RPV) may be converted to the previous levels A, B and C:

• RPV 10 or above = Level A
• RPV 7 – 9 = Level B
• RPV 5 – 6 = Level C

New Zealand suppliers and manufacturers who aim to be rewarded for their responsible products in Green Star projects should reach out to GBCA to check if their product's certification scheme is approved. If not approved, they can ask their certification scheme provider to approach GBCA for approval, which will allow their product to be rewarded in both the existing Design and As Built rating tool and the future Green Star Buildings NZ tool.

GBCA Products website Responsible Products Framework | Green Building Council of Australia (gbca.org.au) is updating a list of recognized initiatives and in the interim, please email materials@gbca.org.au for the most current list. 

This new clarification on crushed concrete is related to the TQ issued on 8/22 which states: "Crushed concrete from a previous building on the same site directly reused (without being taken out from the site) for hardfill or backfill may claim points under credit 22 Construction and Demolition Waste, credit 19 Life Cycle Impacts and credit 21 Sustainable Products simultaneously, but not under the innovation category. Note that the project team should ensure the quality of the crushed concrete is suitably consistent as being reused for hardfill or backfill."

Any project using the TQ above is given the following additional guidance:

Credit 22: The estimated reused crushed concrete weight shall then be attributed to the Re-used weight under Credit 22.2B. The demolition contractor and any other contractors related to the C and D Waste are reminded they must have a valid Compliance Verification Summary or Disclosure Statement related to the C and D Waste Reporting Criteria if they are pursuing credit 22.

To determine the amount of crushed concrete created on site the contractor must survey the stockpile of crushed concrete and estimate the weight using the Volume to Weight Conversion table from the C and D waste credit (Table 22.2). Photos shall be taken as evidence of the stockpile.

If a Green Star project generated construction and demolition waste during a COVID-19 lockdown (NZ COVID-19 Alert Level 4, 3 and 2) waste processing facilities might not have been sorting the waste and sent the waste directly to landfill.

The official dates for when the different levels came into place are listed here.

If this occurred, and the Green Star project is pursuing the C and D waste credit, they will need to specifically prove that construction waste was generated during this time along with the amount of waste sent to landfill.

A statement with the dates when sorting of waste was suspended must be provided from the waste contractor/processing facility. This will be allowed to be excluded from the waste diversion calculation, but the receipts of this waste going to landfill highlighting the dates must be provided.

If the 'Responsible Building Materials - Timber' credit criterion is made 'Not Applicable', the project is not eligible to claim the innovation point for timber furniture.

The Nominated area for Acoustic comfort credits

10.1 – Internal Noise Levels

10.2 – Reverberation

10.3 – Acoustic Separation

Are Primary and Secondary spaces. 

When using the prescriptive method, the output of on-site electricity generation should be that which occurs at the time when the peak load is expected to occur. Justification should be provided as to how the time of the peak load has been derived.

The Submission Guideline references the ASHRAE Standard 55-2013 (55-2020 may also be used) for naturally ventilated spaces. The ASHRAE standard 55-2020 Applicability section 5.4.1 states that this method may be used only when (a) no heating system is operating, and (d) when the prevailing mean outdoor temperature is greater than 10°C. The Submission Guidelines section 14.1.1 suggests that spaces may contain heating, which is counter to the ASHRAE Standard.

Where projects are not in accordance with the methodology outlined in ASHRAE 55-2020 Section 5.4.1(a) and section 5.4.1(d), due to having an operating heating system and prevailing mean outdoor temperatures lower than 10°C which falls outside the applicability limits of the methodology. The winter discomfort or underheating should be assessed through the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) methodology in accordance with the requirements outlined in 14.1.2 of the Design & As Built Submission Guidelines.

Summer discomfort and overheating can still be assessed using the adaptive comfort methodology outlined in ASHRAE – 55 provided all relevant applicability limits are met i.e a combination of assessment methods acceptable with PMV used during the heating season and adaptive comfort model approach used for the remainder of the year.

Where some, but not all, major components of a façade (e.g. glass, aluminium extrusions or insulation product) are compliant with credit 21 Sustainable Products project teams may include only those compliant parts in the calculation of the PSV.  The product cost included in the calculation must be for only the compliant components, not the whole of the façade, and evidence of how this has been determined should be included in the submission.

Projects pursuing certification under Green Star - Design & As Built, and Green Star - Railway Stations may target the 'Designing for Robustness' credit from the 2015 'BREEAM In-Use International' Technical Manual.

One (1) point is available where all compliance requirements for the credit has been addressed and evidenced as per the Asset Performance MAT 07 – Designing for robustness criteria from the BREEAM Technical Manual. 

Documentation Requirements:

• A copy of the Asset Performance MAT 07 – Designing for robustness criteria from the BREEAM Technical Manual 
• Photographic as-built evidence of asset protection infrastructure listed by the client; and 
• Plans, studies, reports, or other documentation that reflect that robustness was taken into consideration during the design process.

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