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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
Ecological Value Assessment Requirements Green Star Buildings NZ June 2026 35 - Impacts to Nature Ecological Value
Approved Ruling:

A Sensitive Ecosystem Management Plan is not required if it can be demonstrated, through photographs, surveys, or similar evidence, that the site does not contain and is not within 100 meters of any sensitive ecosystems as listed in the credit. An ecologist is not required for this verification.

Please note that the Site Ecological Value section of the credit in the Submission Guidelines (SG) contains a formatting error. This is revised to state:

This requirement is met where:

  • The type of development that is proposed in the project area meets the intent of the underlying planning zone.

  • At the date of purchase or option contract, land clearing does not occur on the site as a result of the building, infrastructure, or construction works of the following:

    • Native forest
    • Etc. (The full list of applicable items is provided in the Submission Guidelines)