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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
Guidance for General and Technical Questions Green Star Buildings NZ, INTv1, DABv1, DABv1.1, INTv1.1 August 2025 0 - General General Link
Approved Ruling:

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:

  • Navigating the NZGBC website
  • Finding project details.
  • Finding NZGBC resources (e.g., where to download Submission Guidelines or Leadership Challenges).

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:

  • Requiring clarification on an item within a credit or rating tool.
  • Confirming your interpretation of a credit
  • Proposing an alternative solution to the credit requirements.
  • Obtaining a response that you intend to use for a project or include in your Green Star submission.

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:

  • Fixing an error in the rating tools
  • Addressing missing/contradicting guidance, like a missing definition
  • Area Definitions

What information should be included in my Technical Question?

  • Reference the specific Submission Guidelines, including the category and credit, that requires clarification (Quote, page numbers and references of the Submission Guidelines). e.g. this question is about X credit, where it states "quote" pg#.
  • A clear explanation of what you would like clarified. This is usually in a question format, rather than a statement. e.g. what does X mean?
  • Where an alternative approach is being proposed, please clearly:
    • Explain the issue.
    • Outline your alternative proposed solution.
    • Short explanation to justify the alternative approach proposed.
    • Supporting documentation to justify the alternative approach.
  • It is recommended you provide the preferred outcome/answer using standard TQ wording.

What can be expected in the response to my Technical Question?

Responses typically include:

  • Confirmation of your interpretation, or an explanation if your interpretation is not correct.
  • Clarification or answer to your question.
  • Explanation of the requirements in the Submission Guidelines and what the project team needs to do.

What does a Technical Question NOT do?

  • A Technical Question does not award points or confirm the outcome of a credit. This will be determined by the Certified Assessor(s) at the time of assessment.
  • A Technical Question does not review the submission forms and evidence for credit compliance. This will be determined by the Certified Assessor(s) at the time of assessment.
  • A Technical Question does not allow assessment comments to be removed or changed. Projects seeking further clarification on assessment comments should submit a post-assessment round clarification

Tips

Before submitting a Technical Question, please ensure to:

  • Review the existing Green Star Technical Clarification Rulings Register.
  • Carefully read the relevant credit in the Submission Guidelines, including Guidance, in its entirety.
  • Review any associated calculator and calculator guide related to the question.
  • Include a clear question - what are you seeking clarification on?
  • Explain how you have interpreted the issue.
  • Be clear and concise.
  • Provide the preferred outcome in the TQ submission

 

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