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 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 access the online Technical Question form here

Technical Question Title Tool Version Date Released Credit Name Sub-credit Name TC Link
Ultra-Low VOC Paints innovation - theoretical calculations DABv1 July 2021 29 - Innovation Improving on Green Star Benchmarks
Approved Ruling:

Projects targeting the Exceeding Green Star Benchmarks for Indoor Pollutant innovation UItra-Low VOC Paints may use theoretical calculations to determine the grams of VOC per litre (g/L) in addition to the current methods of demonstrating that a paint, adhesive or sealant complies with this criterion. Total VOC (TVOC) values must reflect the final ready to use product, inclusive of tints (in the case of paints) and made in grams of VOC per litre (g/L) of ready to use product. All theoretical calculations should be provided by the supplier on company letterhead or on the official product datasheet.

Documentation Requirements:

Please provide the following in your submission;

  • Evidence that at least 95% of all internally applied paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets meet stipulated ‘Total VOC Limits’ and that one (1) point has been awarded for credit criterion 13.1 Paints, Adhesives, Sealants and Carpets.
  • Evidence that over 50% of paints (by volume) specified in the building have a maximum TVOC content of 5g/L.
  • All theoretical calculations on supplier letterhead or material safety data sheets, product safety data sheets, manufacturer's product specification sheets etc.
  • A copy of this FAQ.

For Note: Theoretical calculations are only applicable when calculating ultra-low VOCs. Projects must demonstrate compliance for criteria 13.1 Paints, Adhesives, Sealants and Carpets and 13.2 Engineered Wood Products as per the Submission Guidelines.