AUSTRALIA CELEBRATES WORLD GREEN BUILDING WEEK
The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) in Manila together with the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC) joined green building councils around the world in showcasing sustainability initiatives in the building and construction industry as part of the World Green Building Week 2010.
World Green Building Week is celebrated annually to raise awareness on the role of green buildings in the creation of healthier and more sustainable communities.
According to the World Green Building Council’s (WorldGBC) new report, ‘Tackling Global Climate Change- Meeting Local Priorities’ launched in celebration of this year’s World Green Building Week, green buildings play an important role in providing affordable housing, job creation and disaster recovery.
“The Australian Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of commercial buildings through proposed regulation, financial support, and information and support to the industry,” Ambassador Rod Smith said.
Under Australia’s National Strategy on Energy Efficiency, the design and construction of new commercial buildings, as well as major renovations, will be subject to stronger energy efficiency requirements that are being proposed as part of the 2010 update to the Building Code of Australia.
Green buildings are the most economical way of reducing carbon emissions. Green buildings can cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 35 per cent, reduce waste output by 70 per cent, water usage by 40 per cent, and energy consumption between 30-50 per cent.
In the Philippines, Austrade marked the celebration by supporting PhilGBC’s activities including workshops on Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence or BERDE, the local green building rating system, in Quezon City. Quezon City is the first local government that passed a Green Building Ordinance.
Austrade also hosted a business networking function for key members of the PhilGBC and other stakeholders to discuss the outcomes of the World Green Building Congress in Singapore on 13-14 September where 15 Green Building Councils from the Asia Pacific network shared the status of their own green building initiatives.
The World Green Building Council and its members celebrated the inaugural World Green Building Day on 23 September 2009 to raise the profile of green buildings globally.
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), a leading organisation in the WorldGBC, is committed to raising the profile of green building and the development of a sustainable property industry through the adoption of green building programs, technologies, design practices and operations.