Australia has its first registered Green Star -Communities PILOT project.

The 'loop' precinct in Canberra has been registered for a Green Star - Communities PILOT rating underthe Green Building Council of Australia's (GBCA's) new PILOT rating tool for sustainable communities.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, officially launched the GreenStar - Communities PILOT rating tool at the Built Environment Meets Parliament summit in Canberra today.

"This great new tool goes to the heart of what we are seeking to achieve with our National Urban Policy -and that is to make our cities more productive, sustainable and liveable," said Mr Albanese.

"The Green Building Council of Australia is to be commended for developing this tool, which will be ofvast help to governments, developers and the public who want the best information to guide their decisions about sustainability."

The loop precinct is a 40,000 square metre development at the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets in Canberra. Rock Development Group's plan for the precinct includes Green Star-rated buildings, electricvehicle recharge points, a residential car pooling scheme, precinct-wide energy generation, watercapture and waste management, and a focus on healthy, active living.

"We are proud to have the first registered Green Star - Communities PILOT project. Loop will provideopportunities for everyone to participate in an active, enjoyable and community-oriented lifestyle and willset new benchmarks for world's best practice for sustainable community living and propertydevelopment," said Maria Efkarpidis from Rock Development Group.

"We are thrilled to be working with Rock Development Group on what will be one of Australia's greenest communities. Rock Development Group has supported our vision for Green Star - Communities from the earliest stages, and it is appropriate that we will now work together to test the tool's benchmarks,"says Robin Mellon, the GBCA's Executive Director of Advocacy and Business Services.

The GBCA will now work with Rock Development Group to benchmark loop against 38 credits in theGreen Star - Communities categories of Liveability; Economic Prosperity; Environment; Design;Governance; and Innovation.

"Green Star - Communities will provide industry, governments and consumers with best practicebenchmarks for communities that meet a range of environmental, economic and social priorities. Wecongratulate Rock Development Group for being the first registered PILOT project and hope to seemany more development projects embrace Green Star - Communities in the near future," Mr Mellon concluded.

About Green Star - Communities
Green Star - Communities is an independent, national rating tool developed by the Green Building Council of Australia to drive more sustainable, productive and liveable communities. Green Star -Communities supports the planning, design and delivery of communities, precincts and neighbourhoodsthat prioritise environmental sustainability - such as minimising energy and water consumption, andreducing dependence on motor vehicles - alongside broader issues such as economic prosperity,liveability and community health and wellbeing. For more information, visit:www.gbca.org.au/communities

About the Green Building Council of Australia
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is Australia's leading authority on green buildings andcommunities. The GBCA was established in 2002 to develop a sustainable property industry in Australiaand drive the adoption of green building practices. The GBCA has 870 member companies who worktogether to support the Council and its activities. The GBCA promotes green building programs,technologies, design practices and processes, and operates Australia's only national voluntarycomprehensive environmental rating system for buildings - Green Star. See: www.gbca.org.au

About Rock Development Group
Starting out as a small family business occupying a simple takeaway restaurant, Rock DevelopmentGroup has worked on the development of industrial complexes, retail sites, extensive refurbishmentsand now Canberra's first sustainable community, loop. See: www.rockdg.com.au/ 

Media contact
Karen Jamal
Green Building Council of Australia
Tel: 0412 179 135
Email: karen.jamal@gbca.org.au