At the New Zealand Green Building Council, we’re a team of people who are passionate advocates for better buildings, because we know that better buildings mean healthier, happier Kiwis.
That’s ultimately what we’re working towards: happy, healthy New Zealanders. And, because we spend around 90 percent of our lives in buildings, we’re simply never going to achieve that goal if our buildings aren’t sustainable, efficient, warm and dry. Tenants will be happier when their operating costs are lower. Owners are happier when they get better returns through a green building. Employees are happier and healthier – and more productive – in a light, well-ventilated workspace. And families are healthier and happier in warm, dry homes.
That’s why our work – and your work – is so important. It’s not just about the buildings, it’s more than that – it’s about people.
Without some visionary people, green buildings in New Zealand wouldn’t be where they are today. A decade ago, we saw the very first Green Star Accredited Professionals (GSAPs). These are the green building trailblazers, who made our trusted, robust authentication tool Green Star happen. Together, they have made Aotearoa a better place. Our buildings are better – and, thanks to these GSAPs, we can verify and prove that too. Green Star registrations are up almost 70 percent.
Over the last 10 years, while we’ve introduced new tools, and seen them grow, these 52 GSAPs have stuck with it from the very beginning. They paved the way to improve buildings across New Zealand. Without them, we would not be where we are today.
These key people have shown their commitment to green building and sustainability through the years, so we wanted to tell their stories, share their experiences and learn about the folks behind Green Star. We’ve started sharing these on our website, our social media channels, and in this edition of Building Momentum, so do please have a read.
Alongside these celebratory series of articles on GSAPs, we’ll also be acknowledging them at our upcoming Green Room series from 25-27 September. As well as marking a decade of GSAPs, our ever-popular Green Room events will be part of World Green Building Week, which is running this year from 24 September until 30 September.
This year, the week is all about making our homes better. New Zealand homes aren’t good enough. Over 700,000 of our homes are poorly insulated. And 40 per cent of our homes are damp and mouldy. Besides being bad news for our health, unhealthy homes are also bad news for our bank balance, as they cost more to heat.
But this is changing. Tens of thousands of new family homes are now set to be safer, healthier, happier places to be, after being built better. And the New Zealand Government now has a chance to build thousands of new homes, through KiwiBuild, to the standards New Zealanders deserve.
We have events all around New Zealand, throughout World Green Building Week, and everyone is welcome, so do please come along. We have Green Rooms in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, some special PluggedIn webinars (which are getting more and more popular), a Superhome tour, a panel discussion, a photo competition, and a movie night too.
Many of you have visited our five Green Star rated offices in Auckland (members of the NZGBC can use the great facilities here). We’re on the second floor of a nearly 20 storey building, right at the heart of Auckland’s CBD. And, in a few weeks, I’ll be getting a different view of the premises, and leaving the office using a slightly unusual route.
I’ll be stepping out into the fresh air around the 17th floor, and abseiling down the outside of the building to raise money for the great work done by Make-A-Wish, who help grant life-changing wishes for Kiwi children living with critical illnesses. If you’d like to make a donation, do please let me know.
And, as always, do please feel free to get in touch with any questions or suggestions.
Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao. Māku e kī atu he tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
Andrew