Sustainability
Toitūtanga
At our core, we seek sustainable environmental solutions by considering all perspectives and understanding each project’s connections with the wider world. By being a sustainable business we take a long-term view on all matters relating to our clients and the environment.
How can Boffa Miskell help you achieve better outcomes?
Green Star Experts
As the industry transitions to the Green Star Buildings tool, we anticipate increased demand for specialist services. We understand the importance of our designers and consultants across all disciplines being able to provide expert advice and contribute to sustainable outcomes for our clients and communities.
Boffa Miskell employees have been appointed as Technical Advisers to the upcoming Green Star Buildings rating tool.
- Dr Ian Boothroyd – Ecology
- Sam Parsons – Climate adaptation / assessment
- William Hatton – Indigenous culture
Green Star Practitioners have in-depth knowledge of one specific Green Star tool along with a general understanding of the other tools and can work successfully on Green Star projects.
- Gina Langridge - Landscape architect
- Jos Coolen - Landscape architect
- Sean Eustace - Landscape architect
Green Star Accredited Professionals have the same specialised knowledge as a Green Star Associate, have passed an online exam and are qualified to submit documentation and evidence to the NZGBC for assessment on Green Star projects.
Dr Ian Boothroyd has a long-standing and ongoing role in providing technical advice to Green Star Assessors on ecology-related questions for projects undergoing Green Star certification.
Green Star Building
Green Star is the most widely known and identifiable sustainability rating system for non-residential buildings and master-planned communities in New Zealand. It is run by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBSC) who provide an independent evaluation process and award projects a sustainability rating out of 6 stars.
Our consultants have provided design services and documentation on these projects to support the achievement of credits in areas including reduction of potable water (irrigation), enhancing ecological value, and sustainable transport.
The 2024 Green Star Buildings tool has far greater scope for considering factors such as interface with the public realm, biodiversity enhancement, Māori inclusion in design, and stormwater management.
Boffa Miskell’s Carbon Smart Design Guide, our commitment to facilitating wider uptake of Nature-based Solutions, and the holistic perspective of a multi-disciplinary consultancy enables us to successfully collaborate with clients and project partners to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Nature-based Solutions
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) leverage natural processes and the power of healthy ecosystems. Investing in nature and nature-based solutions is an important pathway to address the current ecological crisis. Functioning and resilient ecosystems lay the foundation for sustainable economic development, food and water security, disaster risk reduction and climate action.
Boffa Miskell ecologists, designers, and sustainability experts offer solutions beyond traditional engineering-based approaches to address how we can adapt at a community level to the changing environment.
Nature-based Solutions are valuable opportunities to design infrastructure, including stormwater management, as visible and integrated assets that contribute to urban amenity and recreational offerings while addressing both environmental and societal challenges.
Boffa Miskell is committed to facilitating a wider uptake of Nature-based Solutions. The increased flooding that we have experienced across Aotearoa in recent years, the associated loss of biodiversity value, and the increased demand to densify urban centres drive our initiative to enable a clearer understanding of NbS and what this holistic way of thinking offers.
Sustainable Design Methodology
Boffa Miskell’s Carbon-Smart Design Guide (2024) is a comprehensive set of guidelines grounded in international industry-leading sustainable design principles, rating systems, and carbon calculators. This integral part of our design methodology provides clear and simple guidance to help our designers achieve better and sustainable outcomes in future projects.
The Carbon Smart design approach emphasises sustainable design practices that extend beyond merely reducing the carbon footprint. It seeks to generate positive and meaningful co-benefits across social, cultural, environmental, and economic aspects; in collaboration with clients, stakeholders, and the local community.
Boffa Miskell’s Carbon Smart Design Guidelines (2024) have been informed by a range of existing design guidelines, carbon calculators, and accreditation/rating systems, including Green Star. The guidelines don’t relate directly to the very specific requirements required to achieve individual Green Star credits; however, they do provide best-practice guidance in most of the areas that are required to be considered when targeting a Green Star rating.