What can sustainability labels do to contribute to the wider global sustainability goals that we seek? How can standards have an influence beyond those certified under them?

“A roadmap to change” was the theme for this year’s annual ISEAL Conference, held in Berlin from 20 - 22 May, and GECA’s Standards and Technical Manager, Shaila Divakarla, was there to join the discussion. The conference provided plenty of food for thought for everyone in attendance, and a few key themes emerged over the course of the event.

One of the big issues tackled at the conference was whether standards organisations should focus on raising the ceiling (rewarding the best) or lifting the floor (moving the rest). Shaila wrote about the conference in depth for The Fifth Estate, or for a shorter summary, read more on our website.

Australian plastic products manufacturer Italplast is the first to be certified under GECA’s recently released Recycled Products standard. A number of products from their e range and greenR ranges have met GECA’s criteria for environmental, health and social impact.

Italplast is a 100% Australian-owned family operated business with extensive expertise in product design, toolmaking and plastic injection moulding. Their main product offering with GECA certification is a wide range of coordinated desk accessories and stationery products. Many of these have gone from first design through to moulding in-house at Italplast.

Italplast’s GECA certified products are made from at least 50% recycled plastic – some from 100% recycled plastic – and are themselves recyclable. They also contain minimal and environmentally-preferable packaging. Read more.

Indesign: The Event has been held across 12 years, five cities, and 100,000 visitors, and is an opportuntity for boutique design houses and local creative talent from the architecture and design industries to come together. GECA is proud to be a Silver Sponsor of this year’s Sydney Indesign event, which runs from 13-15 August 2015.

This year, visitors have the chance to follow the ‘GECA eco trail’ and visit a series of exhibitors showcasing products with a lower environmental, health and social impact. Plus, those who pick up a copy of the Sydney Indesign handbook will find details for how they could win $1000 by following the trail. Read more.

What’s the secret to potentially gaining a four, five or six Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia?

A quick glance at some standout Green Star rated projects as seen in the ‘case studies’ section of the GBCA’s website shows that a few common themes emerge for buildings with high Green Star ratings.

While some of them may seem obvious, such as using a rainwater tank to supplement a building’s water supply, there are often unique measures taken to maximise use of such resources. Read more at Sourceable.

This August 2015, Hothouse returns to the Powerhouse Museum with its sister program, Smart Locale Ultimo-Pyrmont, offering FREE sustainability workshops for businesses and other organisations in the Ultimo-Pyrmont precinct.

HotHouse LABs is an exciting new workshop format designed specifically for small-medium sized organisations to engage in practical sustainability solutions.

It mixes lightning talks, group discussions and structured activities to help you explore challenges unique to your business. GECA's Ben Waters and Bobby Ali-Khan will be contributing to the 'Buildings' session on 5th August to discuss sustainable fitouts. Whether you are a business owner, a building manager, a property owner, or you just work locally and are curious, these events are for you. Read more.

In a first for the Australian residential market, CSR Gyprock has recently announced the release of Gyprock Sensitive, a hypoallergenic plasterboard perfect for asthma and allergy sufferers. It’s also the first plasterboard to have both GECA certification (under the Panel Boards standard) and approval from the National Asthma Council Australia’s Sensitive Choice program.

Gyprock Sensitive is a 10mm plasterboard offering enhanced mould resistance and improved moisture resistance. With mould one of the most common triggers for asthma and allergies, Gyprock Sensitive is a good choice for walls and ceilings throughout the home. Gyprock EC08 Complete, for commercial projects, is also a Sensitive Choice approved product. Read more.

Now entering its sixth year, the Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo is the perfect environment to create new business efficiencies and opportunities. This year's event will be held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 12 - 13 August.

Looking at this year's line up of seminar sessions and respected industry and government professionals, it’s evident that there’s a running theme of sustainability.

From new reforms on handling hazardous waste being showcased, to efforts and initiatives towards reducing landfill waste, the two-day expo aims to educate and inform those in the waste industry that sustainable practices are essential and not a luxury. Read more.

The 3rd Annual International Green Interior Awards is open for entries! This is your opportunity to win an international award for your green interior projects and products.

The categories are Lend Lease Office, The Rug Collection Residential, Australian Living Healthcare, brightgreen Retail, Austwest Timbers Hospitality, KE-ZU Education, Universal Magazines Aged Care and BMW Australia Product Innovation.

Students and graduates are welcome to enter. Good Environmental Choice Australia are proud to be a Supporting Partner for this important and unique Awards program. For entry information click here.