Green buildings are creating more prosperous, productive and healthy communities. That’s the message from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), as it gears up for the fourth annual World Green Building Week.
This week, green building councils (GBCs) in 98 countries representing more than 25,000 organisations will host events, run campaigns and emphasise the theme: ‘Greener Buildings, Better Places, Healthier People’.
“Green buildings are simply better buildings. In Australia, Green Star-rated buildings produce 62 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, use 66 per cent less electricity and consume 51 per cent less potable water than average Australian buildings. They also send a fraction of the waste to landfill,” says GBCA Chief Executive, Romilly Madew.
“But green buildings are not just good for the planet – they are good for people too. Sustainable buildings are boosting student test scores, accelerating patient recovery rates, improving worker productivity and slashing energy bills,” Ms Madew explains.
From conferences and site tours, to award ceremonies and twitter chats, GBCs will be taking part in hundreds of activities around the world.
After the success of last year’s walking tour of Sydney, the GBCA has created self-guided tours of sustainable buildings in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. These street-level CBD explorations highlight some of Australia’s best Green Star-rated buildings and their world-leading features, and showcase how green buildings are contributing to the sustainability of our inner-city communities.
On Tuesday 17 September, the GBCA will launch a new report, The future of Australian education: Sustainable places for learning, and will host a panel discussion on how students and teachers can reap the benefits of happier and healthier education facilities. Speakers include the Hon Robyn Parker MP, NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage and Professor Alec Tzannes, Dean of the University of NSW’s Faculty of Built Environment.
The GBCA’s Chief Executive, Romilly Madew, will join the World Green Building Council’s CEO, Jane Henley, and Green Building Council of South Africa CEO, Brian Wilkinson, in a live Twitter chat on Wednesday 18 September from 3.30pm AEST. Use the hashtag #WGBW2013chat to join in.
GBCA member companies are supporting World Green Building Week by hosting workshops, site tours, debates and art competitions. Find out more and register to attend an event in Australia. Check out the global events at the WorldGBC website.
“World Green Building Week showcases how green buildings are reducing the global carbon footprint, saving money and improving productivity, creating jobs and improving the lives of millions of people,” the WorldGBC’s Chief Executive Officer, Jane Henley, says.
“The WorldGBC network has expanded from eight GBCs in 2002 to 98 today. This explosive growth underscores the value of our industry, as we work together to create a world of greener, better, healthier buildings,” Ms Henley concludes.
About the World Green Building Council
The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) is a network of 98 national green building councils (GBCs), making it the largest international organisation influencing the green building marketplace. GBCs are member-based organisations that partner with industry and government to transform their building industries through the adoption of green building practices. GBCs create change in their local markets as a way to globalise environmentally and socially responsible building practices.