Integrating plant life into building and infrastructure rating tools (NY16007)

What was it all about? 

This nursery investment was tasked with consolidating evidence of the benefits of vegetation and green spaces in the built environment, and communicating these benefits to an audience spanning the property, infrastructure and nursery sectors.

The project team noted that a significant amount of research has been undertaken, both nationally and internationally, to identify and quantify the benefits of green infrastructure. The project’s work brought these findings together in a literature review and in case studies suitable for communication to key decision-makers. Subsequently, a range of consultations took place with those involved in the on-the-ground development (designing, planning and building), regulation and operation of green infrastructure.

As part of this process, the project was able to provide scientific evidence to the Green Building Council of Australia and the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, to help underpin the development of ‘credits’ in their rating tools relating to the integration of plants in the buildings and infrastructure. The rating tools are the Infrastructure Sustainability Rating Tool and Green Star ratings.

The research team reported that their work “has supported rating tool developers in strengthening the role of green infrastructure in their schemes, in turn encouraging the wider built environment sector to plan, design and deliver more green assets into our built environment.”

Information sheets were also produced by the project for circulation to audiences including the nursery industry, infrastructure sector and property sector. The resource for the nursery industry includes information on the opportunities that exist with the green building and infrastructure market, and how to harness them. At the time of writing, it was still to be released.