The Verge has been awarded a 4 Star Green Star rating, representing best practice in sustainable design.
Our built environment is currently the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, consuming around a third of our water, and generating 40 percent of our waste. A more relatable fact if you’ve noticed your power and water bills endlessly rising each quarter.
Making lasting environmental change
Turning the lights off helps ease power bill pressure, but by simply looking for a Green Star you can make a lasting and significant change to both the environment and your wallet. Launched in 2003, Green Star is Australia’s largest sustainability rating system for communities and buildings, aiming to reduce the impact of climate change by creating smart, resilient buildings.
The Verge at Burleigh G.C, a coastal retirement medium-rise, is one such community making the investment to attain this rating. Using passive design principles like external shading and smart insulation, glazing selection, LED lighting, electric vehicle charging stations and efficient air-conditioning, The Verge has managed to achieve higher energy efficiency ratings than that of a standard compliant building. During development ‘Green Concrete, recycled water and timber from sustainable forests were used to reach the Green Star rating and further reduce the retirement communities’ carbon footprint and waste production during the build.
The benefits of a Green Star rating
While great for the environment, the benefits of buying Green Star extend far beyond the planet and have a direct positive impact on home owners too:
- Cost savings – green buildings are designed to be energy and water efficient, making them cheaper to run day-to-day
- Healthier living space – they provide better indoor environments that reduce rates of respiratory disease, allergy, and asthma. Studies have confirmed that sick people get well faster in green buildings, and healthy people get sick less often
- Reduces individual carbon footprint – by investing in environmentally friendly projects where possible, we can all play a role in defining the next generation of green sustainability
Best practice in sustainable design
The Verge has been awarded a 4 Star Green Star – Design & As Built v1.2 Design Review Certified Rating, which represents Best Practice in sustainable design. This has been awarded by The Green Building Council of Australia. This is a milestone for RetireAustralia and represents the first Green Star Rating accredited to a RetireAustralia development.
As the Verge at Burleigh Golf Club nears completion, this certification confirms our commitment to certify the completed building in the coming months and confirms our Green Star promise to achieve As-Built certification.
If you are considering the move to retirement, make sure to look for the Green Star accreditation. It’s a healthier, more sustainable way to save money and reduce the impact we all have on the environment.