Green rating tools attempt to assess the sustainability of buildings, infrastructure, materials and consumer products. They include;

  • Green Star™,
  • Green Star™ Communities, and
  • IS Rating Scheme.

To find out more about how BlueScope steel products may enable accreditation in any of these schemes or others, contact your BlueScope Steel representative or call Steel Direct on 1800 800 789.

GreenStar™

Organisation

Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)

Aim

evaluate the environmental design and achievements of buildings

Applicable to

Buildings, Design & As Built, Communities, Interiors, Performance, Railway Stations.

Geography

Australia

Rating System

6 star World Leadership

5 star Australian Excellence

4 star Best Practice

Website

http://www.gbca.org.au

 How can BlueScope steel assist in gaining credits?

Materials Category, Steel credit (Mat-6):

The Steel credit (Mat-6) focuses on encouraging environmentally responsible production, design and fabrication methods that result in the efficient use of steel as a building material.

Up to two points are awarded where at least 95% of all structural and reinforcing steel used in the building’s structure is sourced from a responsible steel maker. BlueScope Steel is a responsible steelmaker

AND

Where structural steel comprises 60% or more of the total steel used in the structure, one point is awarded for each of the two initiatives met below:

  • At least 95% of all Category A products and at least 25% of Category B products meet or exceed the nominated steel strength, grades and are permanently marked with their strength grade;
  • At least 60% of the fabricated structural steelwork is supplied by a steel fabricator / steel contractor accredited to the Environmental Sustainability Charterof the Australian Steel Institute. Environmental Sustainability Charter members

Category A Products

Minimum Strength Grades

BlueScope Products

Roof sheeting

550MPa

 

COLORBOND® Coolmax® G550S steel

COLORBOND® G550S XRW steel

COLORBOND® Ultra G550S steel

COLORBOND® Metallic G550S steel

ZINCALUME® steel

Wall sheeting

550MPa

 

COLORBOND® Coolmax® steel

COLORBOND® steel XRW

COLORBOND® Ultra steel

COLORBOND® Metallic steel

ZINCALUME® G550 steel

ZINC HI-TEN® G550 steel

Profiled-steel decking

550MPa

 

DECKFORM® G550 steel

ZINCALUME® G550 steel

ZINC HI-TEN® G450 steel

ZINC HI-TEN® G550 steel

Purlins & Girts

 

 

450MPa

GALVASPAN® G450 steel

GALVASPAN® G500 steel

GALVASPAN® G550 steel

ZINC HI-TEN® G450 steel

Light-steel framing systems

(building framing systems made of lightweight cold-rolled galvanised steel sections)

450MPa

ZINCALUME® G450 steel

ZINCALUME® G500 steel

TRUECORE® G450 steel

TRUECORE® G500 steel

TRUECORE® G550 steel

ZINC HI-TEN® G500 steel

 

Category B Products

Minimum Strength Grades

BlueScope Products

Hot-rolled structural steels (including plate)

(e.g. universal beam and column sections, parallel

flange channels, angles)

 

350MPa

 

HA350 steel

XRTAFORM® 400 STEEL

XRTAFORM® 500 STEEL

 

Cold-formed sections (including hollow sections)

(e.g. square and rectangular hollow sections,

circular hollow sections, cold-formed channels and

angles)

 

450MPa

 

XRTAFORM® 500 STEEL
Welded sections (e.g. welded beams and columns made from plate)

400MPa

XLERPLATE® steel 350 grade

Other Green Star Categories:

The inherent properties of steel –strong, durable and lightweight—translate to a range of design possibilities that will accrue points under credits other than the steel credit, Mat-6. 

The lightweight nature of steel means that it is an ideal material for adding volume to existing buildings and can allow historic facades to be incorporated into new designs.  The durability of steel also allows it to be more successfully used in designs for disassembly.  These sorts of design solutions are likely to accrue points elsewhere in the Materials category. 

The strength-to-weight ratio of steel also means that larger volumes can be enclosed in a single space which can translate to better levels of natural ventilation, light, heating and cooling.  These help improved both energy efficiency and indoor environment quality.

COLORBOND® steel with Thermatech® solar reflectance technology can also help accrue points in the Energy category indirectly by reflecting the Sun’s energy away from the roof and the building, thereby helping to reduce the energy use associated with mechanician air conditioning.

Green Star™ Communities

Organisation

Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)

Aim

Evaluate the environmental design and achievements of buildings

Applicable to

Planning design and delivery of communities, precincts and neighbourhoods or residential, industrial or mixed use communities.

Geography

Australia

Rating System

6 star World Leadership

5 star Australian Excellence

4 star Best Practice

Website

http://www.gbca.org.au

 How can BlueScope steel assist in gaining credits?

ENV-3 Heat Island Effect

Credit ENV-3 Heat Island Effect aims to reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by a building and its surrounds. One point is awarded if at least 50 per cent of the site area (in plan view) comprises one, or a combination of, the following.

  • vegetation
  • roof materials with a minimum solar reflective index (SRI) greater than 78
  • unshaded hardscape with an SRI greater than 29
  • water bodies and water courses. 

COLORBOND® Steel colours Classic Cream™, Surfmist®, and COLORBOND® Coolmax® in Whitehaven® all meet the benchmark for roofing material with a Solar Reflective Index greater than 78, earning one point in this category.

ENV6: Green Buildings

Steel products earn credits directly in the Green Star™ Materials 6 Steel credit, as describes above.

Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme

Organisation

Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA)

(previously Australian Green Infrastructure Council AGIC)

Aim

To assess the sustainability credentials of infrastructure.

Applicable to

Comprehensive rating system for evaluating sustainability across design, construction and operation of infrastructure.

Geography

Australia

Rating System

Good 25 to 49 points

Excellent 50 to 74 points 

Leading 75 to 100 points

Website

http://www.isca.org.au/

How can BlueScope steel assist in gaining credits?

The IS rating scheme differs significantly from other rating tools in that it is less prescriptive and allows more options for evidence to prove compliance. This evidence will have to pass the assessment of an appointed assessor.

Some possible considerations are:

“Mat-1.”  Materials Life Cycle Impact Measurement and Reduction

BlueScope life cycle inventory (LCI) data is accurate and conforms to the requirements of the AGIC materials calculator.

“Mat-2.” Environmentally Labelled Products and Supply Chains

BlueScope Steel is a leading member of the Steel Stewardship Forum and a driver of the Responsible Steel project, which aims to develop a comprehensive certification process covering the entire steel supply chain, from mining to scrap recovery.

“Pro-2,” “Pro-3” and “Pro-4.” Procurement and Purchasing

BlueScope Steel is an industry leader in environment and sustainability. We have a dedicated sustainability team. We hold ISO 14001 Environmental Management System accreditation and have documented environmental policies. Our company is an active member of the World Steel Climate Action Program, a leading member and sponsor of the Steel Stewardship Forum and a member of the Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels (ACRS).

Our inspirational environmental targets have been signed off by our Board of Directors.

“Wat-2,” “Wat-3.” Water

Steel water tanks offer a wide range of rainwater harvest, storage and buffer systems, for almost any application. Pioneer Tanks, a BlueScope Steel company, offers Australian-built tanks with capacities up to 12 million litres for industrial, commercial and rural use.

“Cli-2” Adaptation Measures.

BlueScope Steel products offer strength, resilience and thermal qualities necessary for adapting to a range of climate change events:

Bushfires: Sureline® power poles, COLORBOND® steel fencing, roofing and walling and BlueScope water tanks provide proven fire resistance.

Heat impacts: COLORBOND® steel with Thermatech™ or COLORBOND® Coolmax ™ offer excellent solar reflectivity and are ideal for roofing and shade structures.               

Hail and storm damage: COLORBOND® steel roofing is highly resistant to hail damage. It is also used, along with TRUECORE® steel framing, in houses designed to withstand 300 km/h winds.

Drought: Steel water tank manufacturers have a range of rainwater harvesting and storage systems to reduce your potable water usage. With the right accessories, water tanks made with BlueScope Steel’s AQUAPLATE® steel can even provide drinking-quality water for your facility.

 

“Was-2” – Diversion from landfill

“Was-3” - Deconstruction/ Disassembly/Adaptability

BlueScope steel products have intrinsic scrap value and steel has a well-established recycling sector. Therefore, a lower percentage of steel ends up as landfill, compared with other building materials. This can assist in achieving a Was-2 credit. Steel bolted construction allows prefabricated units to be easily separated and disassembled, allowing beams and columns to be re-used in other projects, according to the project deconstruction plan, helping gain a Was-3 credit.

Steel can also meet the suggested guidance around being reusable and recyclable, potentially modular, self-supporting and standardised.

“Hea-2” – Prevention of crime

Tough, durable steel lighting poles, security grills, fencing and other features can be used to achieve required CPTED standards. Steel is also ideal for CPTED-compliant temporary fixtures.

“Inn-1” – Innovative strategies and technologies

BlueScope steel products appear in some of Australia’s most advanced sustainable buildings. Our products, such as COLORBOND® steel and TRUECORE® steel are favoured by engineers and architects for their capacity to meet the most innovative design requirements.