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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 download the Technical Question form here

Technical Question Title Clarification Type Tool Version Month Released Credit Name Sub-credit Name Amendment/Approved Ruling
Energy Consumption and GHG Calculation Guide General DABv1.1 April 2023 15 - Greenhouse Gas Emissions Greenhouse Gas Emissions
AA1000 Licensed Assurance Provider General DABv1 October 2019 20 - Responsible Building Materials Permanent Formwork, Pipes, Flooring, Blinds and Cables

An AA1000 Licensed Assurance Provider can provide Auditor Verification for Green Star PVC certification. The AA1000 Account-Ability Standards, an international methodology for sustainability-related assurance engagements, is considered an ‘equivalent national or international auditor accreditation system’ as endorsed by the Vinyl Council. A Licenced-Assurance Provider under this standard is qualified to sign off on PVC best practice audit/assurance documentation.

Industrial Guidance General DABv1 September 2021 0 - General
DABv1 Potable Water Calculator to the Healthcare Potable Water Calculator General DABv1 February 2023 18 - Potable Water Potable water
Measuring Compliance for Building Reuse General DABv1 October 2019 19 - Life Cycle Assessment/Impacts Life Cycle Impact- Building Reuse
Fire Protection System Test Water criterion (18B.5) is ‘Not Applicable’ for some projects General DABv1 November 2020 18 - Potable Water Fire System Test Water
Household Travel Survey General DABv1 August 2021 17 - Sustainable Transport Sustainable Transport
Enhancements to Existing Features in ‘Ecological Value Calculator’ General DABv1, DABv1.1 January 2025 23 - Ecological Value Ecological Value

The ecological enhancements to existing features of ecological value can be included in the ‘Ecological Value Calculator’ and can be counted twice but the application should be supported with sufficient explanation and justification and accompanied by relevant plans and illustrations. Where enhancements form only a portion of a feature then the enhancement area entered into the ‘Ecological Value Calculator’ should reflect only the proportion of improvement.  

Indoor Environment Quality credits General DABv1 November 2020 0 - General
Sustainable Transport Performance Pathway General DABv1 March 2021 17 - Sustainable Transport Sustainable Transport