Australian Built Environment Communications Report Design

1. Purpose of the Report

This report is intended to:

Establish the Anti-Greenwash Charter as a credible, authoritative voice on sustainability communications

Translate complex regulatory and technical issues into clear, accessible insight

Be used as:

A downloadable thought-leadership asset

A reference document for industry discussions and roundtables

A credibility-building tool with regulators, partners, and prospective signatories

This is not a marketing brochure or brand manifesto. It should feel serious, rigorous, and editorial, similar in tone to policy think-tank or professional institute publications.

2. Target Audience

Primary:

Senior professionals in the built environment:

Architects

Developers

Sustainability and ESG leads

Communications and marketing leads

Government and regulatory stakeholders

Secondary:

Industry bodies

Media and commentators covering sustainability, construction, and regulation

Design should assume a smart, time-poor, sceptical reader.

3. Core Tone & Feel

Keywords:

Credible

Calm

Authoritative

Neutral

Editorial

Evidence-led

Not alarmist, not promotional

Avoid:

Overly “green” aesthetics

Marketing language or hype

Stock imagery that implies perfection (lush forests, unrealistic buildings, etc.)

Visual gimmicks

4. Brand Application

The report should feel unmistakably Anti-Greenwash Charter, but restrained.

Brand role:

The Charter is a convener and facilitator, not the hero

Branding should support trust and clarity, not dominate

Expected brand elements:

Logo usage: minimal, consistent, unobtrusive

Colour palette: restrained use of Charter brand colours as accents

Typography: clean, professional, highly readable (policy/report style)

5. Page Structure & Design Approach
Overall Structure

28 pages total (including cover, contents, appendices)

Clear hierarchy:

Section openers

Pull quotes

Key findings

Call-out boxes

Checklists and summaries

Cover

Title prominent

Subtitle clearly readable

Date and geography visible

Minimal imagery or abstract graphic device preferred

Internal Layout

Strong grid system

Generous white space

Clear differentiation between:

Narrative text

Quotes from roundtable

Findings

Recommendations

Checklists and frameworks

6. Graphics & Visual Elements

Graphics should clarify thinking, not decorate.

Required Graphic Types

Key Findings Visuals

Simple diagrams or icon-based summaries for:

Five Critical Findings

Five Communication Challenges

Each finding should be visually distinct and scannable

Process & System Diagrams

Value chain visibility (design → construction → operation)

Internal governance (“marketing–sustainability–legal triangle”)

Regulatory landscape overview

Call-out & Framework Boxes

“What Good Looks Like”

“Red Flags”

Checklists

Recommendations by audience (organisations, industry, regulators)

Pull Quotes

Used sparingly

Should feel reflective and serious, not punchy marketing soundbites

Iconography

Simple, line-based icons

Consistent visual language

Used to aid navigation and comprehension

7. Imagery Guidance

If imagery is used at all, it should be:

Abstract

Architectural detail–focused

Diagrammatic

Monochrome or muted

Avoid:

People smiling at construction sites

Nature-heavy imagery

Obvious sustainability clichés

Imagery should never undermine the report’s core argument about credibility and realism.

8. Accessibility & Readability

Designed for screen-first reading

Clear heading hierarchy

Legible body text size

Charts and diagrams readable without zooming

Colour contrast suitable for accessibility

9. Deliverables

The designer should deliver:

Fully designed 28-page PDF

Print-ready version (optional but preferred)

Editable source files (InDesign or similar)

All charts and diagrams created as vector graphics

10. Success Criteria

This project is successful if:

The report feels credible enough to be shared with regulators and government stakeholders

Industry professionals recognise it as serious, useful, and trustworthy

The Anti-Greenwash Charter is positioned as a long-term authority, not a campaign voice

Readers can quickly extract:

Key insights

Practical guidance

Clear frameworks