This research aims to model the interactive networks of the risks associated with different stakeholders in green building projects and to gain an understanding of the key risk networks. Case studies of green star accredited office building projects were undertaken in China and Australia. Case data were collected through focused group workshops, face-to-face interviews and desktop studies, and analysed by using social network analysis methods. The results show that while reputation risk is important in both countries, the ethical risk of 'assessment experience and fairness' has been highlighted as crucial in the Chinese context. The results further show that government plays an important role in improving the societies' knowledge and awareness on green technology uptake in China. The social network analysis method in this research improves the effectiveness and accuracy of stakeholder and risk analysis by demystifying the social complexity which is usually overlooked in traditional linear risk impact analysis. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. APM and IPMA. All rights reserved.