GECA has requested that the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) consider modifying its credits and calculators to recognise third-party certified paints, adhesives and sealants whether they are applied onsite or offsite.
GECA, like the GBCA, believes that paint with lower environmental and human health impacts are preferable and that their use should be encouraged. For that reason GECA is pleased its Paints and Coatings standard is recognised under the Reduced Exposure to Pollutants credit of the Green Star Interior Tool and the Indoor Environment Quality VOC credit of the Green Star Design & As-built tools.
However, there is a small anomaly in that the credits and calculators only recognise preferable paints that are applied on the building site and not ones that are applied off site. GECA believes this does not contribute to better environmental or health outcomes. In fact, applying paint (even environmentally preferable paint) offsite is often likely to have a better outcome.
As the discrepancy may lead to adverse outcomes GECA hopes that the GBCA will reconsider its credits and calculators so that there is more consistency around the use of paints, adhesives and sealants in office fit outs.
