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CHAPTER 22GREEN BUILDINGS |
What is a green building? |
A green building is a building with an ecologically sustainable focus which is designed and built with energy and water efficiency in mind, as well as minimising any adverse impact on its inhabitants and the environment. |
Section J of the Building Code of Australia (BCA) imposes mandatory energy efficiency performance standards on new buildings and refurbished buildings. Initially, the move to buildings designed and built in accordance with environmentally sustainable development (ESD) principles was generated by the market and led to the creation of a number of tools which rate the energy efficiency or impact on the environment of commercial buildings. These tools are now supplemented by the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Act 2010 (Cth) which makes it mandatory, from 1 November 2010, subject to the exceptions set out below, to obtain and disclose an energy efficiency rating when selling or leasing an office space of 2,000 square metres or more. This is known as the Commercial Building Disclosure program. Under the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure (Disclosure Affected Buildings) Determination 2011, exceptions are granted to: |
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The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview of the rating tools, legal framework and general considerations that apply to green commercial buildings. This chapter does not address: |
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