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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

Clarification Type Tool Version Month Released Credit Name Sub-credit Name Tool Category Amendment/Approved Ruling
General DABv1 1/3/2023 9 - Indoor Air Quality Exhaust or Elimination of Pollutants
General DABv1 1/2/2023 29 - Innovation Global Sustainability

Digital Infrastructure can no longer be claimed as an Innovation under credit 29.5 Global Sustainability in the Design & As Built NZv1.0 and v1.1 tool. Digital Infrastructure initiatives that are limited to the boundary and immediate area outside of commercial buildings is deemed as standard industry practice and therefore is no longer Innovative.  

General DABv1 1/7/2021 26 - Light Pollution Light Pollution to Night Sky
General DABv1, DABv1.1 1/11/2024 20 - Responsible Building Materials Timber
General DABv1, DABv1.1 1/5/2024 0 - General
General DABv1 1/6/2021 10 - Acoustic Comfort Sound Insulation Measurement
General DABv1.1 1/10/2023 21 - Sustainable Products Sustainable Products
General DABv1 1/11/2020 19 - Life Cycle Assessment/Impacts Life Cycle Impacts
General DABv1.1 1/4/2022 12 - Visual Comfort Visual Comfort

For criterion 12.2 Glare Reduction, the nominated area is primary and secondary spaces; for criteria 12.2 Daylight and 12.3 Views, the nominated area is all primary spaces.Please see the ‘List of areas’ section of the Submission Guidelines for space type definitions.

General DABv1 1/7/2021 19 - Life Cycle Assessment/Impacts Life Cycle Impacts