Green Building Rating Tools & Schemes
BlueScope's environmental and sustainability credentials are recognised by several green building rating tools and schemes, including Green Star™, Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating and Living Building Challenge (LBC). These schemes assess the sustainability of buildings, infrastructure, materials and building products.
In Australia, BlueScope’s ecolabels and certifications such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Global GreenTagCertTM GreenRate™ and ResponsibleSteel™ certification not only authenticate BlueScope’s sustainability credentials, but they can contribute to the achievement of points/ credits under green building rating schemes. For instance, selecting BlueScope products that have these credentials attached to them can be an easy and cost-effective way to contribute to a Green Star rating.
Green Star™
Launched by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) in 2003, Green Star is a well-recognised voluntary sustainability rating system that sets the standard for creating healthy, resilient, positive buildings and places. Green Star offers a range of rating tools, including Buildings, Design & As Built, Communities, Homes, Interiors, and Performance.
Green Star's rating tools evaluate a project's sustainability attributes through different impact categories known as credits. Each credit defines a clear outcome that a project must meet, for which points are awarded. Once all credits are assessed, the total number of points achieved is tallied and a certified rating may be awarded.
The Green Star Responsible Products Framework recognises various initiatives that products or manufacturers can comply with to contribute to a Green Star Buildings certification. Several initiatives may apply to BlueScope products, including ResponsibleSteel™ site certification, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and Global GreenTagCertTM GreenRate™ certification. These initiatives may contribute to a project's Green Star rating through the Responsible Products credits.
BlueScope’s steel products can also help accrue points under other Green Star credits. For example, the inherent properties of steel translate to a range of design possibilities that can help accrue Green Star points. Select BlueScope roofing products, including COLORBOND® steel products, may comply with minimum Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) requirements (typically light colours) in the Heat Island Effect / Heat Resilience credits.
Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme
Developed by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC), the IS Rating Scheme assesses sustainability in the planning, design, construction, and operation of infrastructure programs, projects, networks, and assets. It places emphasis on governance issues, including sustainable procurement, resilience, and innovation.
Distinguishing itself from other rating tools, the IS Rating is less prescriptive and offers more options to prove compliance. The compliance evidence is subject to review by a designated assessor.
BlueScope’s EPDs, GreenRate™ certifications and the inherent properties of steel – 100% recyclable, strong and durable - translate to a range of possibilities that can assist in gaining IS Rating credits.
Living Building Challenge
The Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a stringent standard for sustainability in the built environment. It evaluates living buildings that are regenerative, self-sufficient and that create a positive impact on the human and natural systems that interact with them.
The LBC comprises seven performance categories, or 'Petals': Place, Water, Energy, Health + Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. These Petals are further divided into a total of 20 Imperatives, each addressing a distinct area of influence.
Steel manufactured by BlueScope in Australia can assist in achieving a number of LBC Imperatives including Core Imperative 07 (Energy + Carbon Reduction). BlueScope's products with EPDs may help new and existing projects to demonstrate a 20% reduction in the embodied carbon of primary materials compared to an equivalent baseline. The LBC requires that product data for the embodied carbon assessment should be as accurate as possible, prioritising product-specific and geographically relevant data.
Further Information
To find out more about how BlueScope steel products may enable certification in Green Star, Living Building Challenge or IS Rating Scheme, please complete the form below to register your interest and a BlueScope representative will be in touch.
Detailed information is available in the following articles on steel.com.au:
Other useful reading: