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GREEN BUILDING GUIDE
Central Park
One Shelley Street of Australian industry foresight and leadership . And that ’ s why it ’ s vital that governments use their own investments in buildings and infrastructure to showcase our excellence at home and abroad . Whether the world is watching our success on the field in our newest sporting stadiums , or negotiating new trade deals in our high commissions , these buildings must represent the very best of Australian building , and be certified as world-class through an Australian rating - Green Star .
Late last year , Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced that the dilapidated 1960s structure in Washington DC ’ s diplomatic precinct would be replaced with a $ 237 million embassy designed by Bates Smart . The Foreign Minister has said the new embassy design will “ promote an enduring vision of a contemporary and innovative Australia , paying tribute to the Australian landscape ”. In particular , the Australian Government has promised that state-of-the-art design features will achieve the highest global environmental design standards . Helpfully , the world ’ s leading standards for sustainable building are now certified through an Australian tool – Green Star . The opportunity to use this building , sitting as it will on Australian soil in the United States , as a representation of our global leadership in sustainable building , certified as such through Green Star , must not be missed .
The Australian Government ’ s commitment to achieve a Green Star rating would showcase our industry ’ s talent for sustainable design to the world . It would also demonstrate government leadership in sustainability , and send a signal that it takes its commitment to both the Paris Agreement and its associated policies and platforms seriously .
Both the US Department of State and UK Government have committed to rating their international embassies under their own countries ’ respective rating tools , LEED and BREEAM . We should too , using Green Star .
Our buildings , cities and the industries that create them are now globally recognised as a great Australian success story . This success can be multiplied with the support of our governments – both through our most iconic buildings at home , and our embassies across the world .
GOVLINK » ISSUE 1 2017