About Us

The Green Building Institute is a non-profit organisation run by a board of directors. We are professional, qualified trainers for sustainable construction, and green building consultants, inspired by the need to educate.

Although sustainable building design has been driven by various industry programs, there has been a disconnect between design and what actually happens on the job-site, or in the real estate market. This has led to green building technology and construction costing more. GBI fills the need to train and educate trades people and property professionals to help them understand sustainable construction technology, methods and design.

If you are serious about sustainable construction, why not join us and build a green Australia? We are looking for

• Trainers with experience in sustainable construction or trades
• RTOs passionate about sustainability
• Architects and designers
• Tradies keen to share their knowledge.
• Anyone with a great idea to promote sustainable construction
• Professional trainers able to use social media and e-learning
• Organisations to partner with us

We use state-of-the-art educational design and e-learning to educate efficiently and engagingly, and represent the next generation of green building leaders.

Sustainable Education Developer?

Could this be you? Contact us

Become a member

Danielle King

Green Property Professionals Program Manager

Danielle King

Green Property Professionals Program Manager

Danielle (Danie) works closely with commercial businesses and the residential sector to advise and promote resource efficiency and sustainability in the built environment. She also works closely with building and business industry peak bodies to integrate energy efficiency and sustainability into day to day practices.

Danielle is a highly qualified Sustainability Assessor and Educator in the field. She is very experienced in the commercial and residential markets and is qualified to conduct carbon footprints, energy audits and sustainability assessments to AS/NZ recognized standards. She holds an MBA in Business, Diploma of Sustainability, Cert IV Home Sustainability Assessment amongst other qualifications. Danie has also lectured at Swinbourne University of Technology, is a member of the Building Designers Association of Victoria's Sustainability Advisory Board, and founded Green Moves, the sustainability initiative for efficient properties and to support the real estate industry. In 2015 she created the Green Property Professionals Program, the first on-line training program for sustainability in the property industry.

Ronny Matzat

Sustainable Design Program Manager

Ronny Matzat

Sustainable Design Program Manager

Ronny was born in former East Germany and describes himself as a world citizen and creative superhero. Growing up where “sustainability” was a necessity to survive, he developed a broad skillset and a very creative mind. Green building and product designer, educator, sustainability advocate, businessman, photographer ‐ Ronny is wearing many hats (literally). His mind-set functions in a world of unities, one that considers the environment, people and the bigger picture.

At the core of Ronny’s work is a passion for innovation and design putting people in the centre of the picture. He is one of the few young designers that intuitively and holistically designs with environmental principles and knowledge resulting in innovative solutions. His design projects have won awards in innovation and sustainable design, unveiling him as an emerging talent in the industry. Ronny is the founder and director of DSGN Kartell as well as a co‐founder and design consultant for the Green Building Institute Australia (GBI), where him and the GBI team claimed the “Innovation of the Year” award at the 2016 Sustainability awards, for creating the world’s first green online college.

As his very latest business endeavor, Ronny co‐founded Biolastics, a company set to transform today ́s plastic industry into a sustainable domain by using bioplastics made from renewable raw material. He has been published in journals from Australia to Africa and is a regular speaker at various sustainability and innovation events around Australia and overseas. Ronny is also a member of Al Gore ́s Climate Reality Leadership Corps educating people on the impacts and consequences of climate change and providing solutions with focus on the built environment.

Janine Strachan

Energy Smart Design Instructor

Janine Strachan

Energy Smart Design Instructor

As a leader in sustainable housing and building technology, Janine draws from her extensive experience managing the Housing Industry Association’s national GreenSmart program. She also brings her experience from her teaching role at RMIT, where she teaches Building Thermally Efficient Homes. Janine holds a Masters in Environment and Planning, a Bachelor in Environmental Management and qualifications in Building and Construction and as a Livable Housing Assessor.

As a leader in sustainable housing and building technology, Janine draws from her extensive experience in teaching Building Thermally Efficient Structures and Environmental Management at RMIT and was recognised as RMITs Early Career Teacher of the Year 2017. Janine also draws from her time in managing the Housing Industry Association’s national GreenSmart program.

Janine designed her own sustainable home, which includes solar passive design principles, and a strong focus on material selection that can help to reduce the operational and embodied energy in the home. Janine has opened her home as part of Sustainable House Day for many years to demonstrate sustainable design features.

Janine also has a passion for alternative housing solutions and has built a Tiny House prototype to demonstrate how easy it can be to build a highly insulated Tiny House and was opened in July 2018.

Mark Thomson

Sustainable Design Consultant

Mark Thomson

Sustainable Design Consultant

Mark Thomson is a multi-awarded Queensland eco-Architect with 27 years as a Company Director in Architecture. He co- founded the Centre for Sub Tropical Design in 2005, whilst an Adjunct Professor at QUT and was Corporate Sustainability Principal of the Schiavello Group of Companies, Australia’s largest commercial furniture manufacturer and fitout construction organisation.
Mark is a regular Conference speaker who passionately advocates ESD, (ecological sustainable development) low carbon construction and “Responsible Wood”.

His consulting business “Eco Effective Solutions” offers design, project management, research and resource management services, to effectively deliver healthy living and working environments. Current projects include: affordable independent living quarters, modular/ prefabricated housing, commercial office refurbishments and international hotel sustainability audits.

He is the Immediate past President of the AGDF (Australian Green Development Forum ), a Board member of the Griffith University Eco Centre and an Accredited Professional in national Greenstar and international Earthcheck rating tools. Mark has been appointed a Prize judge in the 2018 and 2019 World Architecture Festival in Amsterdam and since 2013 has judged multiple categories in the Banksia Australian Sustainability Awards.
Mark believes that design, implemented intelligently is the solution for a positive low carbon sustainable future

Jan Brandjes

Energy Smart Builders Program

Jan Brandjes

Energy Smart Builders Program

Jan started his career as a writer/journalist and public relations manager but became involved in Canada’s super energy efficient building program labelled ‘R-2000’. Over the following 12 years Jan developed an extensive knowledge in the area of sustainable and energy efficient building, first starting as a builder of R-2000 homes in Canada’s far North in the 1980’s, and later on as a building consultant and building inspector. After migrating to Australia, to share his knowledge in this area he developed a number of demonstration projects under the names of ‘ The Healthy House”, ‘The Ecohome’ and the ‘Economical House’. As an environmental building consultant Jan advises on a wide range of issues to both industry and private clients. With 35 years of experience, Jan combines his journalism background with his practical building skills. His focus is strongly on future industry developments with education being the key ingredient.

Daniel Wurm

Green Tradies Program Manager

Daniel Wurm

Green Tradies Program Manager

Daniel is a qualified trainer from the construction industry with a passion for sustainable education. In 2009 he created the award-winning GreenPainters program for the painting industry, educating over 600 painters in 3 countries. In 2012 he co-founded EduBytes, an international e-learning and digital education consultancy, and in 2013 co-founded the Green Building Institute.

He is a Good Environmental Choice Australia technical committee advisor, a member of the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council RTO E-learning Co-operative, and a director of the National Institute of Painting and Decorating. He has created courses for the NSW Green Skills program and co-written sustainability resources for Holmesglen TAFE Innovation and Learning. In 2015 he created the Green Tradies program and won Trainer of the Year at the NSW Training Awards in Sydney.

He holds a Diploma in Vocational Education and Training, and in 2017 was project manager for the development of GBI's Energy Smart Builders Program for the Cross-Industry Skills Training Program