by Brianna Crandall — February 22, 2017 — A new guidance document that compares and aligns the Green Star and WELL Building Standard rating systems will support building owners and managers looking to boost the sustainability of their assets and support the health and well-being of people inside the buildings.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) announced a new partnership in 2016, and are working collaboratively to promote health and well-being in the design, construction and operations of buildings, fitouts and communities in Australia.
Green Star and WELL Building Standard: Approaches to Buildings or Fitouts Seeking a Dual Rating maps the Green Star credits and criteria that may be used for an assessment under the WELL Building Standard, and vice versa.
By taking advantage of the natural synergies between the Green Star and WELL programs, project teams can avoid duplication of effort, and achieve both Green Star and WELL ratings faster and cheaper, say the partners — and building owners and managers don’t have to choose between health and sustainability, but can more easily achieve both.
The document provides guidance specific to new buildings or new fitouts being rated under Green Star – Design and As Built or Green Star – Interiors. Future versions will include guidance specific to buildings seeking Green Star – Performance ratings.
Green Star and WELL Building Standard: Approaches to Buildings or Fitouts Seeking a Dual Rating can be downloaded at no cost from the GBCA Web site.
IWBI Chairman and CEO Rick Fedrizzi will be speaking at the Green Cities 2017 conference in Sydney on March 6 about the nexus between sustainability and health in the built environment.
