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Green Star accreditations

Join our growing community of Green Star Professionals

Upcoming courses About Green Star Contact us
Green Star provides a holistic framework for non-residential building design and construction. Training is available for those wanting to find out the fundamentals covered by the Green Star rating tool, as well as those wanting to be actively involved in Green Star submissions and project certification. 

Benefits of accreditation include:

  • An Associate or Accredited Professional logo
  • An online certificate to evidence your accreditation and support project applications or tenders
  • Professional profile listed on the New Zealand Green Building Council online professionals directory 
  • Access to technical resources including submission guidelines.
  • Green Star Accredited Professionals are able to make Green Star certification submissions. 

Which course is right for me?

REM Tile Templates (11)
Understand Green Star

Start with Green Star Fundamentals

Build your understanding of Green Star, including the tools, categories and credits, assessment process and wider principles of sustainable building. Fundamentals is also the pre-requisite for Green Star Advanced.

Explore Fundamentals
GS Mobilise Event Tile (2)
Work on Green Star submissions

Green Star Advanced - Buildings

Progress your Green Star expertise and become accredited to make Green Star certification submissions for new buildings. Green Star Fundamentals is the first step before progressing to Advanced. 

Explore Advanced - Buildings
GS Mobilise Event Tile (3)
Improve existing Buildings

Green Star Advanced - Performance

Learn how to assess and improve the sustainability performance of existing buildings. Green Star Fundamentals is the first step before progressing to Advanced. 

Explore Advanced - Performance

Green Star Fundamentals

This is a self-paced, online course.

Green Star Fundamentals training is for professionals who don’t intend to make Green Star submissions, but need to be up-to-date with green building practice, and/or be able to work successfully within a Green Star project.

This training provides a good understanding of the suite of Green Star tools, certification categories and credits, the assessment process, as well as the business case for green building. 

The Fundamentals course allows professionals to demonstrate that they have knowledge of Green Star and healthy, low-carbon, socially responsible green building practices.

 Please note: The Green Star Fundamentals course is a pre-requisite for enrolling in the Green Star Advanced Buildings and Performance course.

This course takes approximately 6 hours to complete. 

$695 Member price
$1,045 Non Member price
$575 Future Thinkers

There is no exam but the course is a pre-requisite for attending the Green Star Advanced course (to become a GSAP or Green Star Associate).

Register here

Green Star Advanced - Buildings 

This is an in-person or online course. 

Learn how to confidently manage a Green Star Buildings project from registration through to certification
 

Green Star Advanced – Buildings is designed for built environment professionals who want to take a more active role in projects using Green Star Buildings, NZGBC's rating tool for new non-residential buildings and major refurbishments. This pathway is aimed at professionals working on commercial new buildings or major refurbishments during the design and construction phase, targeting a Green Star rating. 

Rather than simply introducing you to Green Star, this Advanced course focuses on the practical process of working on a Green Star Buildings project. You will learn how a project moves through registration, submission and certification, what is expected of a Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP), and how to coordinate the documentation and evidence needed for a successful submission. 

Completing this course and passing the exam awards Green Star Accredited Professional - Buildings accreditation, preparing participants to manage and lead Green Star submissions for commercial developments.

By the end of the course, you'll have a clearer understanding of how to manage a Green Star Buildings project and submission.

The course covers:

  • The Green Star Buildings process, from project registration through to certification
  • The role and responsibilities of a Green Star Accredited Professional
  • How to use the Green Star Buildings guidelines and supporting documentation
  • The Green Star Buildings category framework
  • Minimum expectations
  • Credits and the scoring structure
  • Planning and coordinating project submissions
  • Working with project teams to gather and manage evidence
  • Preparing and submitting documentation
  • The certification process and key project milestones
  • Practical exercises and examples to help apply what you learn

The current Buildings course offering includes:

  • A live session led by an experienced GSAP
  • Practical exercises
  • Q&A with the facilitator
  • Access to Green Star Buildings submission guidelines and technical resources
  • Access to the optional GSAP exam pathway - Passing the exam awards the Green Star Accredited Professional Accreditation. 
Green Star Fundamentals is a prerequisite for the Buildings accreditation pathway. It provides the foundational understanding of Green Star before you move into the more practical Advanced course.

Course prices vary depending on the specific Green Star Advanced pathway and delivery format. For the most up-to-date pricing information, please check out our upcoming training page or contact us directly. We regularly update course offerings and fees to reflect current market conditions and demand.

Yes, all Green Star Advanced pathways follow the same general accreditation process:

  • Green Star Associate accreditation is awarded to participants who complete the course but do not take the exam.

  • To achieve Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP) accreditation, participants must complete the course and sit for, and pass, an online exam.

For our Green Star Advanced courses, the online exam requires additional time beyond attending the course and must be completed within four weeks after the course date. Successfully passing this exam upgrades your status from Green Star Associate to GSAP, demonstrating a deeper level of expertise in your chosen pathway.

By attending the Green Star Advanced course and completing the exam, you are agreeing to the Green Star Accreditation Terms. 

Upcoming courses

 

 

Green Star Advanced - Performance

This is an in-person or online course. 

Learn how to assess and improve the sustainability performance of existing buildings
 

Green Star Advanced – Performance is focused on buildings that are already in operation.

Green Star Performance provides a framework for measuring the sustainability of existing buildings, verifying sustainability claims and identifying opportunities to improve their environmental performance.

This makes the course quite different from Green Star Advanced – Buildings. Buildings focuses on new buildings and major refurbishments through design, construction and certification, while Performance focuses on the ongoing operation and improvement of existing buildings.

Completing this course and passing the exam awards Green Star Accredited Professional - Performance accreditation, preparing participants to manage and lead Green Star submissions for existing buildings. 

The course helps you understand how Green Star Performance can be used to assess existing buildings, prepare submissions and identify opportunities for improvement.

The current course learning outcomes include:

  • Understanding the New Zealand context for existing buildings
  • Understanding the Green Star Performance certification process and key resources
  • Developing the skills needed to create effective submissions
  • Exploring sustainability outcomes for buildings
  • Planning improvements for a building

 

The current Buildings course offering includes:

  • A live session led by an experienced GSAP
  • Practical exercises
  • Q&A with the facilitator
  • Access to Green Star Performance submission guidelines and technical resources
  • Access to the optional GSAP exam pathway - Passing the exam awards the Green Star Accredited Professional - Performance Accreditation.

 

 Green Star Fundamentals is a prerequisite for the Buildings accreditation pathway. It provides the foundational understanding of Green Star before you move into the more practical Advanced course. 

Course prices vary depending on the specific Green Star Advanced pathway and delivery format. For the most up-to-date pricing information, please check out our upcoming training page or contact us directly. We regularly update course offerings and fees to reflect current market conditions and demand.

Yes, all Green Star Advanced pathways follow the same general accreditation process:

  • Green Star Associate accreditation is awarded to participants who complete the course but do not take the exam.

  • To achieve Green Star Accredited Professional (GSAP) accreditation, participants must complete the course and sit for, and pass, an online exam.

For our Green Star Advanced courses, the online exam requires additional time beyond attending the course and must be completed within four weeks after the course date. Successfully passing this exam upgrades your status from Green Star Associate to GSAP, demonstrating a deeper level of expertise in your chosen pathway.

By attending the Green Star Advanced course and completing the exam, you are agreeing to the Green Star Accreditation Terms. 

Upcoming courses

 

 

Green Star Accredited Energy Modeller

Accredited Energy Modellers are experts in energy modelling and have been recognised by the NZGBC as leading professionals.

Accreditation is through application only, with professionals selected based on the quality of their energy modelling reports, and the modeller’s ability to explain their assumptions, rather than the number of models submitted. 

Accredited Energy modellers can issue Producer Statements for Green Star submissions, in lieu of a full energy report.

Upon receipt of the initial application email the NZGBC will generate an invoice for the application fee and email this back to the applicant. Upon receipt of the application fee ($510 excl. GST) the NZGBC will start the review process.

The NZGBC and the Modelling Assessor Panel will review the documentation submitted and determine whether or not the applicant demonstrates the qualities required to be an AEM.

If it is agreed by NZGBC and the Modelling Assessor Panel that the applicant is eligible to become an AEM, then the NZGBC will advise the applicant of the success of their application (via email) and issue their biennial certification fee invoice ($750 excl. GST) minus the application fee of $510 excl. GST.

To ensure the integrity of the Green Star system is maintained the NZGBC requires Accredited Energy Modellers (AEM) to undergo biennial re-certification and credential maintenance.
Each AEM is required to apply every two years for their practising certificate. The fee is $750 excl. GST 
Eligibility requirements to retain their accreditation will be reviewed every four years. It is expected that they should have completed at least two Green Star models within this period.

In order to be eligible, applicants must have;

  • At least 2 years of energy modelling experience, in the modelling programs accepted by Green Star(Only modelling programs that have been independently tested by BESTEST and/or ANSI/ASHRASE standard 140-2004 will be accepted by Green Star)
  • Completed at least 5 energy models in accordance with protocols under
    • Building code H1
    • Green Star NZ
    • Green NZ
    • Part L (UK building regulations)
    • BCA compliance (Australia)
    • LEED
  • Completed a minimum of 3 Green Star NZ ENE-1 energy reports on buildings certified by the NZGBC.  

Maintaining your accreditation

Green Star accreditations are valid for one year before renewal is required. You will receive an email invoice one month prior to your accreditation expiry, along with a summary of your current CPD points.

If you have questions about how to maintain your Green Star accreditation, including renewal requirements and ongoing professional development, please visit our dedicated page here: Maintain your accreditation.

This page has the most current information to help you stay up to date with your accreditation status.

 

Transfer your international Green Star accreditation

We recognise Australian and South African Green Star Accredited Professionals accreditations, and allow active GSAPs from both countries to obtain NZ Green Star Accredited Professional status without attending the training courses.

However, there are a few criteria that need to be met before we can accredit you in New Zealand.

You will need to:

  1. Provide education@nzgbc.org.nz with a copy of your current GSAP accreditation

  2. Provide evidence of 2 projects you have worked on in the past 2 years

  3. Pay an accreditation fee which validates your accreditation for one year. The fee for GSAP's is $160 for members and $245 for non-members, excl GST. The fee for Green Star Associate is $110 for members and $165 for non-members, excl GST.

Please email us your supporting documentation for confirmation of your eligibility.

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Upcoming courses

Check our calendar of courses for the next opportunity to get qualified

 

Calendar of courses