Identifying cost trend and affected cost factors for green office buildings in Australia

The integration of sustainability and sustainable practices in the construction industry is ultimately benefiting the environment, society, and economics. Many green office buildings in Australia achieved Green Star ratings have claimed outstanding achievements such as energy efficiency, greenhouse gas reduction, healthy work environment, and productivity growth. However, in deciding to develop office projects, one of the main barriers identified is the additional cost that varies across Australia and globally. This creates a dilemma for making decisions to develop green buildings, particularly for those who follow the business as a usual approach. Utilizing secondary data published through the literature including grey literature, the paper aims to show the cost trend for green buildings in Australia and to identify affected-cost factors. The literature draws upon relevant information of cost. green features and Green Star ratings in office projects. The information is based on experts' studies published in standard academic sources and other sources, such as Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and peak industry bodies. The twelve-year worth of data and the information of 187 projects are examined. This paper will form the foundation for further research and for the encouragement of stakeholders to promote sustainable development in the construction industry.