Green building certifications are independent rating systems used to measure and verify the environmental, social and operational performance of buildings and infrastructure assets.

They provide a consistent way to assess sustainability performance and compare assets over time.

NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System)

NABERS measures the operational environmental performance of buildings in Australia.

It commonly assesses:

• Energy use and emissions
• Water efficiency
• Waste management
• Indoor environment quality

NABERS ratings are widely used for existing commercial buildings and are expressed as a star rating.

Green Star

Green Star is Australia’s  holistic sustainability rating system for buildings and precincts.

It assesses sustainability across the full asset lifecycle, including:

• Design and construction
• Operational performance
• Energy, materials and water use
• Indoor environment quality

Green Star ratings are commonly used for new developments, major refurbishments and existing buildings.

WELL

WELL focuses on health and wellbeing outcomes for building occupants.
It assesses features related to:

• Indoor air quality
• Thermal comfort and lighting
• Safety, health and wellbeing

WELL certifications are often used alongside environmental ratings to provide a broader view of building performance.

GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark)

GRESB is a portfolio level benchmark used for real estate and infrastructure investments.

It evaluates how owners and managers:

• Manage ESG risks and opportunities
• Set policies, targets and governance frameworks
• Measure and report sustainability performance

GRESB is commonly used by institutional investors to compare sustainability performance across portfolios.

Why these certifications matter

Green building certifications help:

• Improve transparency and comparability
• Support asset performance and resilience
• Demonstrate sustainability credentials to investors, tenants and regulators

They are widely used as part of broader ESG and sustainability strategies in commercial real estate and infrastructure.