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
How to most efficiently use this page:
- Filter for the relevant tool version
- If known, use the credit name field to search for credit keywords or corresponding credit number - please note, this field will ONLY search the "Credit Name" field
- Use your CTRL+F to search keywords on the page
| Technical Question Title | Clarification Type | Tool Version | Month Released | Credit Name | Sub-credit Name | Amendment/Approved Ruling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Needs Analysis | Green Star Buildings NZ, DABv1, DABv1.1 | May 2025 | 31 - Inclusive Construction Practices, 7 - Responsible Construction Practices | Responsible Construction Practices, High Quality Staff Support |
The requirement for responsible parties to conduct a needs analysis has been waived if the physical and mental health programmes implemented are from the NZGBC suggested list.
However, if issues outside of the provided list are used, a needs analysis justifying the inclusion of the issue must be provided.
Additionally, two new issues have been added to the list of issues that may be considered include:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Meeting air tightness testing targets | Green Star Buildings NZ | May 2025 | 3 - Verification and Handover |
Project teams failing to meet the air tightness targets set for the project when targeting the Verification and Handover credit from Green Star Buildings at the Certified stage still meet the requirements of the Minimum Expectation. For any testing conducted, documentation of deficiencies (including results below targets) should be distributed to the project team, included in the commissioning report, and signed off by the design team.
The intention of target setting is to ensure that air tightness is considered meaningfully in the project during design and construction and is properly integrated into the commissioning process. Project teams should ensure that targets set during this process are reasonable and relevant to the project design and its intended performance.
At the Certified stage, projects are to provide evidence of their performance against the set air tightness goals. Where these targets are not achieved, project teams are encouraged to communicate with the building owner and address any discrepancies as far as practically possible as part of the commissioning process and review the design to note any lessons learnt for future projects.
Please note that final air tightness test results should be incorporated into energy models as per Credit 22: Energy Use – Reference Building Pathway
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Formaldehyde testing methods | Green Star Buildings NZ, DABv1, DABv1.1 | June 2025 | 13 - Indoor Pollutants, 13 - Exposure to Toxins | Indoor Pollutants |
Formaldehyde testing methods are updated to include those outlined in updated standards, including:
- AS/NZS 2269:2004, testing procedure AS/NZS 2098.11:2005 (R2016) Methods of test for veneer and plywood - Part 11: Determination of formaldehyde emissions for plywood.
- AS/NZS 4266.1:2017 and AS/NZS 4266.1:2017 Amd 1:2021.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LCA - GFA | Technical Clarification | DABv1.1 | July 2025 | 19 - Life Cycle Assessment/Impacts | Life Cycle Impacts, Upfront Carbon Reduction – Absolute Pathway, Upfront Carbon Reduction – Reference Pathway |
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. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Third-party certification for Formaldehyde testing | Technical Clarification | Green Star Buildings NZ, DABv1.1, DABv1 | July 2025 | 13 - Indoor Pollutants, 13 - Exposure to Toxins | Engineering Wood Products |
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.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Custom welded sections for beams and columns | Green Star Buildings NZ, DABv1, DABv1.1 | July 2025 | 19 - Life Cycle Assessment/Impacts, 21 - Upfront Carbon Emissions |
Custom welded sections for beams and columns spanning more than 30m can be assumed to be 100% sourced from domestic steel plate with an emission factor of 4,092 kg.CO2e/tonne in the reference building. This is in recognition of evidence supplied to NZGBC that custom made large span beams and columns are generally domestically sourced.
For clarity, the definition of the reference building for Warehouse type buildings may include portal frames over 30m and this large span steel would use this new emission factor.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Comfort Criteria | Green Star Buildings NZ | July 2025 | 11 - Light Quality | Lighting Comfort |
Do the requirements under the Lighting Comfort criteria apply to all internal and external regularly occupied areas?
Yes. The Lighting Comfort criteria in Green Star Buildings apply to all regularly occupied spaces within the site boundary of the project for both internal and external lighting. Internal regularly occupied areas are to be defined per the Submission Guidelines. External regularly occupied areas are those that are regularly occupied when external lighting is required, e.g. outdoor dining areas that operate outside of daylight hours. External areas that are not regularly occupied during these times do not need to meet Lighting Comfort requirements.
Non-regularly occupied areas may be excluded from meeting the credit requirements. However, the NZGBC encourage project teams to install high-quality lighting in non-regularly occupied spaces where possible.
Can industrial projects and external areas target alternate lighting properties for Lighting Comfort? Yes. External spaces and internal warehouse spaces with high bay lighting in an industrial project may comply with the following alternate lighting requirement in the Lighting Comfort criteria under the Light Quality credit from Green Star Buildings:
All other lighting properties should comply with the requirements outlined in the Lighting Comfort criteria in the Submission Guidelines.
Where the industrial building has regularly occupied office spaces, these office spaces must meet the credit requirements as per the Green Star Buildings Submission Guidelines.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guidance for General and Technical Questions | Green Star Buildings NZ, INTv1, DABv1, DABv1.1, INTv1.1 | August 2025 | 0 - General | General |
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:
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:
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:
What information should be included in my Technical Question?
What can be expected in the response to my Technical Question? Responses typically include:
What does a Technical Question NOT do?
Tips Before submitting a Technical Question, please ensure to:
For all other queries Please refer to the below for contact details on all other queries:
For all other NZGBC enquiries, please get in touch with us via customerservices@nzgbc.org.nz |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Further guidance on the scoring metrics for Market Transformation | Technical Clarification | Green Star Buildings NZ | August 2025 | 40 - Market Transformation | Market Transformation |
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:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit Criteria for steel framed buildings | DABv1.1, DABv1 | August 2025 | 20 - Responsible Building Materials | Structural and Reinforcing Steel |
As an alternative to credit 20.1: Structural & Reinforcing Steel’s requirements for steel framed buildings, projects may instead opt to comply with 60% of all fabricated steel components (by cost) meeting a Responsible Products Value of at least 10. |