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Green Buildings
This section highlights international efforts to design buildings in a more intentional and environmentally sensitive manner including green building rating systems and green roofs.
Innovative Programs and Policies
Tools and Guidelines
Databases and Case Studies
Newsletters, Publication Collections and Reports of Interest
International Organization and Government Web sites
U.S. Green Building Council Engages Council of Indian Industry Delegation in 2004 Visit to U.S.
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| CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre
is a LEED Platinum certified project ( Hyderabad, India) |
A Conference of Indian Industry (CII) delegation attended the U.S. Green Building Council’s Green Build 2004 
. During the CII visit, delegates toured a number of California’s greenest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings including the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management (Santa Barbara), Audubon Center at Debs Park (Los Angeles) and Inland Empire Utilities Agency (Chino). The site visits allowed CII delegates to examine U.S. technologies and share ideas with their American counterparts.
The USGBC and CII have been collaborating for several years. In 2001, the USGBC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CII to facilitate exchanging technology and system information relating to green building. LEED workshops have been conducted in India and two delegations have attended LEED workshops in the United States (see the link below for more information)
“Beyond Borders” USGBC Article By Dr. Kath Williams, USGBC International Task Force, LEED .
Innovative Programs and Policies
European Municipal Buildings Climate Campaign (Display)
The European Display Campaign encourages municipalities to publicize the energy and environmental performances of their buildings (energy consumption, CO 2 emissions and water consumption). This resource provides a self-assessment tool that measures a building’s emissions as well as international examples of energy and environmental consumption initiatives.
Green Building Challenge 2002
Green Building Challenge is an international collaborative effort to develop an environmental assessment tool. Green Building Challenge 2002 was a continuation of the GBC ‘98 - 2000 process and a multi-year period of review, modification and testing of the GBC Assessment Framework and Green Building Tool (GBTool) - the operational software for the assessment framework. This round of the GBC culminated in the presentation of assessed buildings at the Sustainable Building 2002 Conference (SB 2002) in Oslo, Norway.
Green Building Council of Australia’s “Green Stars” Program
The Green Building Council of Australia works to disseminate information, policy proposals, and research on sustainable properties and green buildings. They have developed a rating system of “green stars” to be used as economic incentives and for international recognition of green buildings. This voluntary rating system evaluates the environmental performance of buildings. Although this project is in the pilot stage, rating tools are being developed for a range of building types. You can also download the Green Star presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint format.
Greening the Building Life Cycle (Sponsored by Environment Australia)
This project seeks to improve the environmental performance of the building and construction sector by promoting Life Cycle Assessment tools to assess the environmental impacts of building materials and systems in Australia.
Tools and Guidelines
Green Building Council of Australia Resources and Fact Sheets
The “Resource” section provides fact sheets on the benefits of building green and funding opportunities for green buildings. Additionally, this section includes presentations, publications and links to other international green building resources.
Canada’s BUILDSMART: Greater Vancouver’s Source for Sustainable Building Solutions
Details a number of different tools geared towards educating site-designers and site-evaluators of construction projects. The “Tools and Resources” section offers a catalog of green building products and materials, software to help design and implement green buildings, technical manuals on product and site specifications, as well as evaluation tools and software to help assess the environmental impact of a building. In addition, the site provides links to other green building groups in North America and contains a “News and Events” section recognized by BUILDSMART.
International Green Roof Institute of Sweden
Provides information on green roof technologies throughout Scandinavia as well as a collection of reports, training courses, and other research tools. The site also includes pictures of green roofs from around the world.
International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment (IISBE)
Offers a c ollection of current activities and forums for information exchange on sustainable initiatives, as well as an information portal for R&D databases.
Hong Kong’s Building Energy Efficiency Research’s Sustainable Architecture and Building Design Guidelines
Presents explanations and guidelines for sustainable development practices, with a special focus on environmentally conscious building design.
Databases and Case Studies
European Green Building Forum
The European Green Building Forum functions as a medium of exchange for European builders and policy makers. The website also offers a catalogue of green buildings from around Europe with detailed descriptions and accompanying photos of each. Additionally, the site has a resource portal which includes hundreds of websites relating to sustainable building and green design throughout Europe.
Hong Kong’s Building Energy Efficiency Research’s Sustainable Architecture and Building Design International Case Studies
Includes hundreds of green building examples, as well as groups and organizations that work on green building research.
Newsletters, Publication Collections, and Reports
Newsletters
European Green Building Forum
Offers a catalogue of best practices from around Europe as well as archives of previous newsletters and events.
Confederation of Indian Industry Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center’s Article Collection
The article section contains case studies and related publications on green buildings in India. Resources and information on construction and industry in India can also be found on the site.
Publication Collections
Green Building Council of Australia
The “Resources” section provides green building publications, presentations, and fact sheets.
International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB)
Includes a searchable collection of web-based publications and news items.
Green Building Policies Network of the Netherlands Documents Section
The “Documents” section offers sustainable development agendas, green building policies for particular countries, and instruments for policy change.
The Athena Sustainable Materials Institute Publications Collection
Provides several reports addressing potential barriers towards building green, as well as tools for sustainable design.
Reports of Interest
Canada’s Public Works and Government Services Technology Directorate Report: “Introductory Manual for Greening Roofs” (2002) (PDF, 37pp., 679kb)
This introductory report examines fundamental questions of green roofing technology: potential advantages and benefits, barriers to green roofs, design and construction considerations, and other related information.
European Council for Construction Research, Development, and Innovation (ECCREDI)’s Report: Innovation in the Construction Sector (1999) (PDF, 65pp., 2.49Mb)
Addresses the need for innovation in the construction sector. The paper concludes with a list of “enablers of successful innovation” as well as a bibliography and reference section for further research
International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment’s Report: Canadian Green Buildings Strategies (2001) (PDF, 10pp., 137Kb)
Discusses the relationship between green building and sustainable development. The Canadian model explores how principles of sustainable development are related to issues of social equity and human health.
The Economist’s Technology Quarterly article “The Rise of the Green Building”
An introduction to green building technologies around the world, featuring the United Kingdom’s newest green building: The Swiss Re Tower.
International Organizations and Government Websites
World Green Building Council (WGBC)
The World Green Building Council is an international non-profit federation “union” of national green building councils based in countries around the world with links and contacts to each member-country. The council provides tools and resources to transform the construction industry into a more environmentally conscious sector. The site has updated news, publication, and activities sections in addition to links from their sponsors and members.
United Nations Environment Programme's International Environmental Technology Center (IETC)
The IETC’s Sustainable Building and Construction Forum is a comprehensive resource for publications, databases, and newsletters that are issued by UNEP as well as green building groups from around the world. The site also contains links to other international green building groups.
European Council for Construction Research, Development, and Innovation (ECCREDI)
Represents the principal actors involved in the construction sector: contractors, engineering consultants, architects, designers, product and material producers, as well as research bodies.
Green Building Council Korea
The Green Building Council Korea (GBCK) is comprised of professors and experts in the building industry and international environmental quality. The GBCK is currently evaluating green building rating systems in order to develop a method of their own.
Mexico Green Building Council
Mexico ’s Green Building Council is a member organization of the World Green Building Council and one of the few representatives from Latin America. The group is developing an internationally recognized green building rating system, and is in the process of releasing publications and holding seminars on building technologies.
Green Building Council of Australia
The Green Building Council of Australia works to define and develop a sustainable building industry in Australia and to encourage the adoption of green building practices through market-based solutions. The Council's objective is to promote sustainable development and the transition of the building industry to implementing green building programs, technologies, design practice and operations.
International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment (IISBE) of Canada
Conducts the Green Building Challenge and are part of a broad network of information, policy, and international conferences.
Canada Green Building Council
A broad-based coalition of professionals in different sectors relating to construction and development in Canada. Their site offers several case studies of LEED™ compliant buildings, job opportunities, as well as green building news and events.