Implementation of a Building Sustainability Rating Tool: a Survey of the New Zealand Building Industry

Building Sustainability Rating Tools (BSRTs) are being developed worldwide with considerable success. As a result their implementation has created the awareness necessary to cement their role in creating positive change. With the release of New Zealand's own BSRT, Green Star New Zealand (Green Star NZ), and the establishment of the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) this awareness was expected to strengthen. The NZGBC has stated that the implementation of Green Star NZ can only be successful if the selected tool is widely accepted, and meets the requirements of the building industry. To date, little research has been carried out into the correct implementation of a BSRT despite this being a fundamental part of a tool's overall success. Therefore, the overall aim of this research was to investigate the requirements of stakeholders and end-users including their understanding of sustainability, BSRT's and the NZGBC. The research also intended to provide a 'sustainability snapshot' of the New Zealand building industry and of the current New Zealand market, establishing a base point for future measurement. The specific objectives of the research were to investigate: -The building industry's level of awareness and the level of involvement regarding sustainability, sustainable building and BSRTs -The building industry' s existing knowledge and experience with BSRTs -How different groups within the building industry anticipate using Green Star NZ and if they are likely to seek formal certification -The building industry's understanding of the NZGBC, and its likely impact in the production of more sustainable buildings in New Zealand -The drivers, triggers, obstacles and reasons for sustainable building -The requirement for sustainable building information and the corresponding level of satisfaction regarding this information -How international research compared with the current study, allowing trends, differences and similarities to be discussed. To meet these aims and objectives a survey was developed in collaboration with the NZGBC, with the intention of acquiring a wide building industry response (e.g. property developers, building contractors, and architects). The participants were canvassed from several associated building organisations which agreed to assist in the distribution of the survey. The survey was conducted between 19 February and 12 March 2007 and ultimately received 476 responses which approximated to a response rate of 3% with a confidence interval of 95% and margin of error of plus or minus 4%. Significantly, the analyses identified a substantial difference between the level of interest and level of involvement regarding sustainability, sustainable buildings and BSRTs. This result emphasised that the building industry is much more willing to participate, and be part of a sustainable building community than may be currently perceived. Anecdotal evidence suggests BSRTs are often used primarily as 'design guides', with no intention to seek a formal rating. According to the results, using Green Star NZ as a 'design guide' was still reasonably high, however a good proportion of the industry anticipated seeking a certified rating for both 'design' and 'performance'. According to experience of the respondents, the client was considered the single most important person to drive sustainable building. Clearly, as the main financial source, the client has the final say on any proposed design, although they may not have the necessary knowledge to propose sustainable design options or even be aware of them. For this reason, a further question explored who rather 'should' be the main driver for sustainable building. The results showed rather than a single person being responsible for driving sustainable building, it should be 'an integrated process where responsibility is shared'. The main reason for sustainable building was 'rising energy costs' and emphasised the importance and increasing demand on energy production. The biggest obstacle for sustainable building was 'perceived higher upfront costs', which indicated confusion and the requirement for better information and the need for organisations such as the NZGBC to be a 'vehicle' to provide the building industry with direct and reliable information. Even though, at the time of the survey the NZGBC and Green Star NZ were in their infancy, there was a significant demand for Green Star NZ related material, such as Green Star NZ certified case study buildings, accreditation procedures and building professionals. In terms of satisfaction, the participants were clearly not content with the current level of information regarding sustainable building. Again, this lack of information reinforced the requirements for more sustainable building information, and the need for better education procedures. While aspiring to assist in the facilitation of more successful BSRT for New Zealand, the results from the research could serve to enhance the potential of Green Star NZ's success and smooth the period of transition for implementation. Furthermore the results could reinforce the relationship between the NZGBC and the wider building industry, encouraging dialogue to help develop the tool and ultimately lead to the construction of more sustainable buildings in New Zealand.