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HIA GreenSmart® project recognition
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At HIA, we believe, together we can build a better future. Our members are invited to submit projects for HIA GreenSmart® project accreditation. This recognition demonstrates to the growing green market and industry that you offer environmentally responsible home building or land development services.
To be eligible, all HIA GreenSmart® projects must incorporate responsible environmental practice in a range of key areas including, improving energy efficiency, reducing water usage, resource efficiency and reducing waste. There are four categories, and projects must demonstrate a commitment to creating minimal impact or achieve net improvement for the environment.
Eligible projects can be showcased in your marketing materials and entered into awards, earning further recognition in the fields of sustainability, design, construction and development.
HIA GreenSmart® project accreditation
Accreditation and recognition for projects is available to individuals and businesses who have completed HIA GreenSmart® professional training.
Once training is completed you can submit a project for consideration. We recommend you submit in the design stage so any suggested changes can be made to meet the criteria.
To gain accreditation for a HIA GreenSmart® project requires the submission of a set of design plans and accompanying documentation indicating how the home meets the protocol. The HIA GreenSmart® protocol sets out the key design elements for seven environmental practices. These practices require each component to be met to achieve an accreditation and recognition status.
HIA GreenSmart® protocol
To be eligible for HIA GreenSmart® accreditation, all projects incorporate responsible environmental practice in a range of key design elements including:
Projects must have the ability to improve energy efficiency through passive solar design elements, appropriate construction methods for the climate, appropriate ventilation and the selection of energy-efficient fittings and appliances. The submission must meet 11 minimum criteria, plus at least two leading practice criteria to fulfil the energy management requirements.
The project must reduce water usage through the selection of water-efficient fittings and fixtures and installation of alternative water supplies. Water management also requires the home to incorporate solutions to decrease the use of potable water in the garden. The submission must meet five minimum criteria, plus at least one leading practice criteria to fulfil the water management requirements.
The project must incorporate the selection and use of materials and building products which can assist in creating a healthy home environment for future occupants, with a particular focus on air quality. The submission must meet four minimum criteria, plus at least one leading practice criteria to fulfil the indoor air quality management requirements.
The project must incorporate the selection and use of materials which can assist in reducing the environmental impact of the home during the construction process, as well as a finished home. The submission must meet at least one leading practice criteria to fulfil the material selection management requirements.
The project must include planning for construction work that minimises the potential or actual removal of soil and sediment from the building site, entering drains and nearby waterways. Based on the site-specific surface material, all relevant site management measures must be used during construction. The submission must meet the assigned minimum criteria to fulfil the site management requirements.
The project must include construction work is carried out in a way which minimises the potential or actual waste material generated. Resources must be appropriately stored during construction and removed from site at completion. The submission must illustrate that during construction, the site was maintained in a manner that meets all the resource efficiency requirements.
The project must incorporate layout and features of the home to provide householders, regardless of age or ability, with improved access and future opportunity to adapt the house to meet their evolving needs. The submission can include any of the leading practice criteria to fulfil the universal design requirements. If the home incorporates all these elements, it may also be eligible to receive Livable Housing Australia accreditation.
Project categories
HIA GreenSmart® Residential Community may be a new greenfield subdivision, or an urban infill (brownfield) subdivision project. The project must demonstrate a commitment to creating minimal impact or achieve net improvement for the environment. The HIA GreenSmart® environmental guidelines seek to incorporate realistic and achievable environmental practices in the design, construction and operation of Australian homes and are outlined below. The submission must meet these guidelines to fulfil the eligibility criteria.
Licensing and fees
All applicants for an HIA GreenSmart® residential community licence must employ at least one senior manager who is accredited as an HIA GreenSmart® Professional. For a project to be branded HIA GreenSmart®, its design and construction must be assessed by an approved HIA GreenSmart® assessor and meet these guidelines.
Participants must seek accreditation at each stage of construction, and ideally, the design should be evaluated before construction commences. Participants will be required to submit architectural design plans and accompanying documentation which meets the guidelines.
The HIA GreenSmart® residential community licence can be applied to any new land development project, where multiple lots are involved. An HIA GreenSmart® residential community licence is available by contacting HIA Planning and Environment staff in your state or region or call us 1300 650 620.
- Residential community licence fee - $2,200 incl. GST
Submission requirements
The protocol requirements for an HIA GreenSmart® Residential Community project is available to members on request. The protocol is provided in excel checklist format to allow applicants to complete the relevant information to gain accreditation of their project. When completing the checklist, details need to clearly indicate compliance with the minimum criteria and relevant leading practice criteria in each category.
This may be provided by including copies of:
- design plans for the development
- vegetation management plan
- stormwater management plan (may be provided on the site plan)
- waste management plan/details (may be provided on the site plan)
- materials specifications (may be provided on the design plans)
There is no prescribed length for the submission. However, the protocol criteria must be addressed as appropriate to the site, climatic conditions and regulatory requirements.
Guidelines
An HIA GreenSmart® Residential Community project must demonstrate a commitment to creating minimal impact, net improvement and social and economic gains through its design and implementation. The Residential Community must demonstrate how it will meet the following HIA GreenSmart® principles:
Part 1 – Design and siting criteria
(a) Minimum criteria
- Optimise solar orientation for the majority of lots
- Sensitive reuse/incorporation of any existing buildings (where applicable)
- Sensitive incorporation of natural features such as water bodies, stony rises (where applicable)
- Design a water and stormwater management plan that supports water sensitive urban design principles
- Connectivity of the project with surrounding environment and infrastructure eg. linkages of open space and vegetation
- Apply initiatives to integrate and respond to the site-specific environment eg. creation of wetlands
- Design a flora and fauna management plan that has been prepared for regional biodiversity enhancement. Note: this will be dictated by past land use practices and viable land parcels
- Select environmentally preferred materials and products for infrastructure eg. products that contain recycled materials
- Design a resource (waste) management plan that maximises recovery and recycling of materials
- Provide public open space or other recreational facilities where appropriate
- Design the community layout, shops, recreational facilities and services to promote and encourage pedestrian and cyclist movement
- Diverse lot sizes that support a mixed community which can enhance social connectedness
- Demonstrate the incorporation of environmental innovation that produced economic gains eg. WSUD to minimise drainage infrastructure cost.
(b) Leading practice options
Choose at least one of the following:
- Provide a third pipe reticulation system to the majority of the allotments to service both internal and external use
- Stormwater retention or wastewater treatment and reuse for public and private use
- Provide solar or energy-efficient public lighting to the majority of the estate
- Provide the opportunity for the connection of renewable power for public and private use
- All lots to be no greater than 400m from public transport
- Alternatively, demonstrate the incorporation of environmental innovation in the project.
Part 2 – Construction criteria
(a) Minimum criteria
- Apply waste management techniques during civil works construction stage to maximise recovery and recycling of materials
- Use of non-potable water in civil construction phase
- Apply stormwater management techniques during construction to prevent sediment entering waterways (natural or piped), retain soil on the development site and ensure minimal disturbance of the site where construction is not occurring
- Adhere to a flora and fauna management plan for the site during construction works
(b) Leading practice options
Choose at least one of the following:
- Appoint of resource waste recovery service/s for the community during home building phase
- Include sustainability measures and clauses within tendering documentation for civil construction works.
The HIA GreenSmart® Residential Community criteria will be modified by HIA over time to reflect environmental standards and community expectations.
HIA GreenSmart® Residential Development is a residential building project, such as an apartment building or multi-unit housing project, in either a greenfield or infill location. The project must demonstrate that it has been designed and constructed with a commitment to delivering a comfortable, healthy and resource-efficient home for its occupants while creating minimal impact and achieving net improvement for the environment.
The HIA GreenSmart® environmental guidelines seek to incorporate realistic and achievable environmental practices in the design, construction and operation of Australian homes and are outlined below. The submission must meet these guidelines to fulfil the eligibility criteria.
Licensing and fees
All applicants for an HIA GreenSmart® residential development licence must employ at least one senior manager who is accredited as an HIA GreenSmart® Professional. For a project to be branded HIA GreenSmart®, its design and construction must be assessed by an approved HIA GreenSmart® assessor and meet these guidelines.
Participants must seek accreditation at each stage of construction, and ideally, the design should be evaluated before construction commences. Participants will be required to submit architectural design plans and accompanying documentation which meets the guidelines.
An HIA GreenSmart® residential community license is available by contacting HIA’s Planning and Environment staff in your state or region or call us on 1300 650 620.
- Residential development licence fee - $3,300 incl. GST
Submission requirements
The protocol requirements for an HIA GreenSmart® Residential Development are available to members on request. The protocol is provided in excel checklist format to allow applicants to complete the relevant information to gain accreditation of their project. When completing the checklist, details need to clearly indicate compliance with the minimum criteria and relevant leading practice criteria in each category.
This may be provided by including copies of:
- Design plans including site plan, floor plans and elevations
- Energy rating certificates, for example: FirstRate 5, BERs, NatHERS, BASIX certificate including any specifications for insulation
- Details of compliance with water efficiency requirements - may be shown on plans
- Stormwater management plan - may be provided on the site plan
- Waste management plan/details - may be provided on the site plan
- Materials specifications - may be provided on design plans.
There is no prescribed length for the submission. However, the protocol criteria must be addressed as appropriate to the site, climatic conditions and regulatory requirements.
An HIA GreenSmart® Village comprises a group of display homes that incorporate responsible environmental practice in a range of areas. These include improving resource efficiency, improving environmental performance on housing construction sites and reducing waste and are brought together in a formal display village open to the public. A GreenSmart® Village provides a valuable opportunity to demonstrate to consumers how environmental initiatives can readily be incorporated into the design and construction of Australian houses, as well as the financial and ecological advantages of the GreenSmart® approach.
Licensing and fees
All HIA GreenSmart® Village home builders and the project developer must employ at least one senior manager who is accredited as an HIA GreenSmart® Professional. For a project to be branded HIA GreenSmart®, its design and construction must be assessed by an approved HIA GreenSmart® assessor and meet these guidelines.
Participants must seek accreditation of the display village before construction commences. Participants will be required to submit architectural design plans and accompanying documentation which meets the minimum criteria set out in the guidelines for every house within the village.
An HIA GreenSmart® village licence is available by contacting HIA Planning and Environment staff in your state or region or call us on 1300 650 620.
- Village licence fees - $3,300 incl.GST for up to 12 houses. The licensing fee for more than 12 homes, is subject to negotiation with HIA at the time of application.
Submission requirements
The protocol requirements for an HIA GreenSmart® Village are available to members on request. The protocol is provided in excel checklist format to allow applicants to complete the relevant information to gain accreditation of their project. When completing the checklist, details need to clearly indicate compliance with the minimum criteria and relevant leading practice criteria in each category.
This may be provided by including copies of:
- Design plans including site plan, floor plans and elevations
- Energy rating certificates, for example: FirstRate, BASIX, BERS Pro certificate including any specifications for insulation
- Details of compliance with water efficiency requirements (may be shown on the site plans)
- Stormwater management plan - may be provided on the site plan
- Waste management plan/details - may be provided on the site plan
- Materials specifications - may be provided on the design plans
There is no prescribed length for the submission. However, the protocol criteria must be addressed as appropriate to the site, climatic conditions and regulatory requirements.
Resources for submissions
We have put together a list of websites to help you with your submissions:
HIA GreenSmart® program
Greensmart Awards
Celebrating sustainably-built homes, new products and GreenSmart Professionals. Gain recognition for your sustainability building practices.