Buildings are not only the largest single source of carbon emissions but they are also the biggest energy users, representing 40% of global energy consumption (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 2007). It is global statistics such as this and the solutions that AMX can deliver to help address this growing issue, which has influenced AMX Australia’s decision to become a member of the GBCA.

The Green Building Council of Australia was launched in 2002 to develop a sustainable property industry in Australia and to drive the adoption of green building practices through market-based solutions. To drive the adoption of green building practices, GBCA developed Green Star, which is a comprehensive, national, voluntary environmental rating scheme that evaluates the environmental design and performance of buildings.

The GBCA Green Star rating system allows a building owner, developer, or designer to submit their project for Green Star Certification. Green Star Certification is a formal process which involves a building/project using a Green Star rating tool to guide the design or construction process during which a documentation-based submission is collated as proof of this achievement.

Throughout the certification process the applicant is required to find market-based solutions that will satisfy the criteria outlined in the Green Star rating tool. When the applicant satisfies one component of the criteria they achieve a certain number of credit points which are collated and assists in their Green Star Certification.

It is here that AMX can help maximise the applicant’s Green Star potential. AMX is fluent with the Green Star Certification process and the rating tools available for a variety of markets including education, health, office buildings, retail and MDU. AMX has developed a number of energy management solutions that comply with the Green Star rating tool criteria, which applicants can use in their submission for Green Star Certification.

In an effort to make the Green Star Certification Process easier for applicants, AMX Australia is pleased to announce the release of their first AMX Green Application Paper which is titled Maximising your Green Star Opportunities: AMX Smart Meter Display. The paper details an AMX solution for how to achieve the available credit points in Energy Sub-metering Ene-2, as part of the GBCA Office As-Built v3 Rating Tool.

This AMX Green Application Paper is the first of several to be released over the coming months by AMX Australia, each of which will aim to show how AMX products and technologies could be utilised to assist in the attainment of Green Star points in a nominated Green Star category.

GBCA chief executive Romilly Madew says, “Green Building Council of Australia is excited to welcome AMX Australia as a member to our organisation. Providing innovative energy management solutions AMX can help building owners, developers and builders maximise their green building opportunities. We look forward to working with the AMX team and together finding new solutions to make our built environment more sustainable.”