Environmentally sustainable design
Sustainability Rating Systems
In Australia, several respected certification systems are used to measure and verify the environmental performance of buildings. These frameworks encourage low-carbon design, efficient resource use, and healthier, more resilient places to live and work.
Whether you're aiming for best-practice credentials or simply want to benchmark your project, understanding these tools is essential.
How timber supports better ratings
| Rating Tool | How Timber Helps |
| Green Star | Lower embodied carbon, renewable, recyclable |
| NABERS | Supports reduced upfront emissions |
| NatHERS | Thermal benefits in lightweight construction |
| LBC | Ethically sourced, biophilic, carbon-storing |
Green Star is Australia’s leading holistic rating system for sustainable buildings and fitouts. It covers categories like:
- Energy and water efficiency
- Materials and embodied carbon
- Health and wellbeing
- Innovation and resilience
🔹 Green Star – Buildings is the newest version, suitable for new commercial, public and mixed-use projects.
🔹 Timber can help achieve credits across energy, materials, and circular economy categories.
NatHERS provides a star rating (out of 10) for the energy efficiency of residential buildings based on design. It’s often required for compliance under the National Construction Code (NCC).
- Higher star ratings = lower heating and cooling needs
- Design strategies like passive solar, insulation, and lightweight timber framing can improve scores
Timber performs well in thermally efficient designs due to its natural insulating properties.
The Living Building Challenge is one of the most ambitious global sustainability standards — focusing on regenerative buildings that produce more than they consume. Categories include:
- Net positive carbon, water, and energy
- Materials transparency and sourcing
- Beauty and equity
🔹 Locally and responsibly sourced timber is often central to LBC-certified projects.
🔹 Considered a “stretch goal” for the most committed sustainability-led developments.
