September 1, 2021
World’s first sustainability rating for new homes
Fossil fuel-free homes powered by solar are set become standard in Australia.
Australia’s new Green Star Homes Standard will make new homes more energy-efficient and slash energy bills.
New homes across Australia will become much better built to withstand climate change, incorporating solar power with water and energy efficiency.
The new scheme by the Green Building Council of Australia means buyers will have much healthier homes and see their energy bills slashed by as much as 75 percent, saving thousands of dollars every year.
The new Green Star Homes Standard is the world’s first mass-market residential climate-positive certification. It has already been accepted by some of the construction industry’s major companies and will bring more liveable, affordable homes to all Australians.
Green Star Homes will be well-ventilated, insulated, fully electric and powered by renewables, water-efficient, draught-sealed and healthy.
Australia’s first Green Homes Standards
Early support for the new standard has come from some of the country’s biggest home builders, including ASX-listed Stockland and Metricon.
Stockland will soon deliver its first Green Star Home at Stockland Waterlea in suburban Melbourne.
Australian homeowners are leading the world in wanting to live more healthily and more sustainably environmentally and reduce their carbon footprint.
Highly efficient buildings powered by renewables are needed to drive critical emissions reductions.
Ongoing lockdowns have forced many Australians to confront the reality that in many cases their home is uncomfortable and costly to run. As more people work more from home, a healthy low-energy environment will become critical.
Sustainable certification
To meet the new certification, new homes will have to be more comfortable to live in and will include smarter airconditioning, LED lights and efficient electric appliances, and be far cheaper to run with solar power.
To be certified, new homes will need to meet the following criteria:
- Healthy: ventilated, insulated, with minimal toxins in carpets or paint.
- Resilient: water-efficient and climate change ready.
- Climate positive: fully electric, draught sealed, energy-efficient and powered by renewables.
Flexible climactic variations mean the certification can be applied by builders to new homes throughout Australia, from Darwin to Hobart.
The Green Building Council of Australia is working with government to bring the Green Star Homes Standard into the regulatory framework.
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