The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) has this week marked its 20thanniversary, celebrating two decades of progress as a trusted advisor and influential driver of change for Aotearoa New Zealand’s built environment.

Since being founded by 31 members in 2006, NZGBC has grown into a community of more than 700 member organisations and associates, united by a shared commitment to healthier, more resilient and lower-impact buildings and homes.

Over the past 20 years, NZGBC’s impact includes:

• More than $50bn worth of buildings and homes being built and certified, delivering lower running costs, improved resilience, reduced climate pollution, and healthier places for people.
• 5.5 million square meters of commercial property covered by green certification.
• 16,000 homes certified through Homestar.

Growing market capability relies on a commitment to increasing understanding of sustainable buildings – a key strategic objective for the NZGBC.

Thousands of architects, designers, builders and suppliers to the sector have taken up training, education and events as part of the NZGBC’s mission to support the delivery of better-performing buildings, fit for New Zealand.

Membership includes people and organisations from across the sector – building owners, banks and investors along with designers, consultants and architects.

“This milestone is a moment to pause and reflect on what’s been achieved together,” says NZGBC chief executive Andrew Eagles. 

“Over the past two decades, our impact has been shaped by the people, partnerships and mahi that have driven meaningful change — from homes and workplaces to the communities they support.”

Demonstrating commitment

“We continue to put people and the planet at the centre of design, construction, and operations. The strength of interest in green buildings is reflected in the continued growth and commitment of our members."

“As we begin our 20th anniversary year, we want to acknowledge everyone who has contributed to this collective journey. Your leadership and collaboration continue to move us toward a more sustainable future.”

To mark the anniversary, commemorative decals are being displayed on hundreds of buildings across the motu to proudly display the achievement of green certifications for the benefit of their tenants, employees, and communities.

Existing buildings

NZGBC supports not only new design and construction, but also the transformation of existing buildings. Across Aotearoa, non-residential property owners and investors are mobilising to certify their portfolios to sustainability standards.

More than 500 existing buildings have been rated with Green Star Performance, NABERSNZ, and Net Zero Buildings certifications, supporting better day-to-day management of building operations for healthier, more productive working environments with measurable improvements in energy and water efficiency, and overall performance.

These tools support owners and operators to understand, manage and continuously improve how buildings perform in use – embedding efficiency in operation, better maintenance practices, and support investment decisions for investors seeking transparency of ongoing performance over time.

“Green Star has been a game changer in providing the industry a framework that concentrates on the specifications that enables a building to be built in a way that minimises its impact on the environment and provides a healthier environment for the occupant.

With an industry- recognised accreditation we can simultaneously report on our sustainability efforts and green finance, whilst also supporting our clients and tenants to do the same. Additionally, it’s helped focus our attention on performance – helping deliver lower running costs and more productive spaces.”

Saatyesh Bhana, Head of Sustainability, Argosy Property

Residential

To date, 16,000 homes have been built or are in the process of being built to Homestar certification, meaning thousands of Kiwi families are in homes that are healthier and can cost hundreds of dollars less to run each year.

Independent Infometrics research shows Homestar homes could help homeowners save $64,000 to $100,000 over the life of their mortgage through energy savings and lower interest rates –delivering benefits for both health and household finances.

Beyond individual projects, the benefits of green building are shared across the wider community. Developers and investors gain more resilient, future-ready assets; homeowners and tenants benefit from healthier, more comfortable and affordable places to live and work; and businesses see stronger performance and lower operating costs across both residential and non-residential buildings.

Measurable impact

Waste reduction -Many NZ towns are struggling with a growing waste problem. Around half of all waste to landfill is from construction and demolition. Through Green Star and Homestar, NZGBC drives significant reductions in construction waste.

To date, approximately 168,000 tonnes of waste has been diverted from landfills through NZGBC certifications, helping reduce pressure on landfill and save ratepayers money.

Reducing climate pollution – NZGBC certifications have helped transform the supply of building materials, accelerating the uptake of lower-carbon option such as green cement, increased use of timber in buildings, and recycled lower carbon steel, and other recycled products such as flooring, insulation and acoustic materials.

Supporting energy security –Buildings account for around 15% of New Zealand’s gas use at a time when the country faces a gas supply shortage. Buildings and homes designed and constructed to current Green Star and Homestar standards support the transition to becoming fossil fuel-free, helping free up gas for industrial uses and supporting jobs, manufacturing and heavy industry.

Advocacy and leadership

The NZGBC has played a leading role in advocating for healthier, betterbuildings, fit for Aotearoa, including:

• Supporting the implementation of the Healthy Homes Standards improving living conditions for around 600,000 households.

• Retaining decent insulation requirements in new build homes which by 2030 will mean about 120,000 families living in warmer, healthier homes.

• Developing a whole-of-life carbon methodology endorsed by MBIE, NZIA and Engineering NZ, providing a consistent way to measure around 9% of NZs total emissions - supporting firm pathways to reduction.
  

Demand for NZGBC’s training, events, and technical support continues to grow. Over the past year we have seen:

• 450 professionals trained with accreditations across 27 courses.
• 36 events and webinars reaching more than 2,500 participants
• Two major industry summits, each attracting more than 280 leaders.
• Launch of the updated Green Star Buildings NZ certification following extensive industry engagement, transitioning from static design targets to high performance, future-ready assets.

“Momentum remains strong across Green Star, Homestar, NABERSNZ, and Green Star Communities,” says Andrew Eagles. “The transition to Green Star Buildings NZ has the sector well-placed to address real issues facing Aotearoa, such as climate adaptation and the upcoming focus on embodied carbon targets in 2026.”

“We will continue to push hard fora building code that protects all New Zealanders, encourages transparent performance standards, and supports strong leadership on improving our sector.”