- The award celebrates industry leaders at the forefront of sustainable built environments
- 26 industry leaders have been recognised this year
- One of the recipients is Country Road Store Design Development Manager, Alicia Buffinton
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has announced the 2023 Green Star Champions.
This honour puts the spotlight on the efforts of planners, engineers, architects, professionals, consultants, and leading advocates who have helped deliver a more sustainable environment through Green Star certifications.
The 2023 Green Star Champions
One of this year’s Champions is Country Road’s Store Design Development Manager Alicia Buffinton, who has been at the forefront of implementing sustainable design into Country Road stores across Australia.
“We led the fashion retail industry by embracing the Green Star framework in 2019 and are now more driven than ever to achieve higher sustainability credentials for our future fit outs,” Buffinton said.
Commonwealth Bank Executive General Manager of Group Corporate Services, Jennifer Saiz, says receiving the Green Star Champion award reaffirms her commitment towards creating a better, more sustainable world for generations to come.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the GBCA and the industry to drive sustainable outcomes in the built environment,” she said.
Dexus General Manager, Environmental and Operational Sustainability Rob Sims says he is driven to create change in the built environment sector.
“I am lucky to be part of a fantastic team at Dexus, an organisation that truly believes in walking the talk,” he said.
Director for Rewiring the Nation at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Ryan Rathborne, says “Ramping up sustainability goals for property sector is crucial for us to meet our emissions targets as we get closer to 2030 and build a greener, healthier and more resilient built environment.
The other 2023 Green Star Champions include:
- Andrew Cole, Group Head of ESG, Charter Hall Holdings
- Ann Austin, Head of Sustainability, Australia, Lendlease
- Bernadette Fitzgerald, Director – Sustainability, Precincts, Infrastructure, WSP
- Brenda Kingston, Director – Sustainability, WSP
- David Baggs, CEO, Global GreenTag International
- Emma McMahon, Head of Sustainability, Australia, Goodman
- Graham Cater, Senior Technical Lead, Sustainable Future, Integrated Solutions, Lendlease
- Ian Dixon, National Building and Properties Sustainable Lead, GHD
- Jessica Bennett, Associate, Sustainable Buildings and Infrastructure, Aurecon
- Kalpesh Patel, Sustainable Projects Manager, Stockland
- Leigh Penney, Sustainability Manager – MELconnx, Laing O’Rourke Australia
- Lindsay Richardson, Director, Sustainable Development Consultants
- Madlen Jannaschk, Principal Sustainability Consultant, Cundall
- Mark McKenna, Global Sustainability Director, Arcadis
- Nick Stokoe, Associate, dsquared
- Nikki Paton, Head of Sustainability and Operations Strategy, Salta Properties
- Phillip Cook, Regional Sustainability Manager, WA & SA, Lendlease
- Steven Peters, Acting General Manager, ESG at ISPT
- Wayne Lobo, Senior Sustainable Buildings Consultant, Arup
- Zoe Neill, NSW Lead – Sustainability, Norman Disney & Young
GBCA Chief Impact Officer Jorge Chapa says the GBCA is delighted to honour the industry leaders who are the driving force behind positive change.
“This year’s Green Star Champions have paved the way for more sustainable outcomes in their immediate environment and have been a source of inspiration for others around them,” Chapa said.
“We applaud their achievements and thank them for their ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future.”
