Get involved in World Green Building Week 2019!


Dear GBCs and Partners

Welcome to the May edition of the Global Update newsletter.

Yesterday on World Environment Day, WorldGBC launched the much awaited campaign materials for World Green Building Week 2019 (23-29 September). World Green Building Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of green buildings as one the most effective means to achieving a range of global goals, such as addressing climate change, creating sustainable and thriving communities, and driving economic growth.

This year’s theme #BuildingLife focuses on reducing carbon emissions from all stages of a building’s lifecycle.
The goal of the campaign is to highlight the need for the sustainable production, design, build, use, deconstruction and reuse of buildings and their materials. Thank you to all of those who took part in the consultation to refine the creative concept and messaging. The resources provided will help Green Building Councils, your members, and WorldGBC partners prepare for the week.  

 

Available resources include:

 
  • How to get involved guide - Find out the many ways you can participate in the week
  • Social media posts - Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram using #BuildingLife and #WGBW2019
  • Posters - Print and share the posters in your building
  • Website banner - Use the banner on your own website
  • WGBW2019 logo - Use the logo on your own marketing materials
  • Email signature - Spread the word about WGBW2019 on email
  • PowerPoint template - Host a presentation at an event
  • Photography templates - Create your own photo visuals
  • My #BuildingLife Pledge poster - Tell us what action you’re taking individually or as a business or organisation to build a better future
  • Brand guidelines - Guidance on how to use the materials
 

We hope to involve as many GBCs and partners as possible to help us make this the biggest and most impactful World Green Building Week yet! We'll be hosting some webinars throughout June, July and August (find details here) to explore ways to participate in the week. In the meantime, please do get in touch with us and let's talk through some ideas. For more information about World Green Building Week, contact Angela Howarth - ahowarth@worldgbc.org



Best wishes

Cristina Gamboa, CEO, World Green Building Council

 


GBCs advancing net zero globally

Advancing Net Zero (ANZ) Status Report 2019 to highlight leadership action helping to shift the market towards net zero carbon operational emissions in buildings. The release marks two years since From Thousands to Billions was published in May 2017, a call to action report on coordinated action from businesses, governments and NGOs towards achieving 100% net zero carbon buildings by 2050, and this report showcases the market leadership in putting this into practice. The report features action from across WorldGBC's network of Green Building Councils, including the 24 GBCs participating in the global Advancing Net Zero project, as well as signatories to the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment and some of our key partners. In addition to releasing the report, WorldGBC announced reaching over 50 signatories to the Commitment. You can find the full list of current signatories here, and details of the latest signatories here. For more information, contact Victoria Burrows - vburrows@worldgbc.org


BUILD UPON2: Scaling up city renovation

Last month, WorldGBC's European network in collaboration with eight cities and partners announced the launch of BUILD UPON2, the next phase of the world’s largest collaborative project on building renovation. The project will empower cities to join forces with national governments and industry to decarbonise their existing building stock by 2050. BUILD UPON 2 will strengthen the effectiveness and implementation of the national building renovation strategies required by the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The following eight pilot cities will actively be involved in the project: Velika Gorica, Croatia; Budaörs, Hungary; Dublin, Ireland; Padova, Italy; Wroclaw, Poland; Madrid, Spain; Eskişehir, Turkey, and Leeds, UK. The cities will work with their national GBC to develop and test a multi level renovation impact framework containing a suite of milestones and measurable progress indicators including: emissions reductions, increased employment and improved health. For more information, contact Audrey Nugent - anugent@worldgbc.org


WorldGBC & UN-Habitat sign MOU

In May, WorldGBC, UN-Habitat and Chatham House signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the 1st UN-Habitat Assembly to develop a regional agenda for sustainable recovery, regeneration and reconstruction for the Arab region. The MoU will lay the groundwork for a regional agenda for sustainable recovery, regeneration and reconstruction in which the rebuilt environment contributes to healthy, resource secure and climate resilient societies. This regional agenda will be aligned with principles of sustainable development and build back better anchored in the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030, the New Urban Agenda, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement and other global agendas. Research into past experience, local cultural practices and inspiring adaptive examples will be coupled with intensive cross sector dialogue to develop geographically appropriate principles and actionable guidelines for sustainable post conflict reconstruction in Arab cities. For more information, contact Mohammad Asfour - masfour@worldgbc.org


Cleaning up buildings & construction globally

In May, WorldGBC and C40 Cities hosted a joint workshop on clean construction as part of the Urban Futures Global Conference in Oslo. A select group of city representatives from four different continents met with some of Europe’s Green Building Councils and leading businesses from across the building and construction value chain. The workshop explored city level action on clean construction and embodied carbon. Inspired by presentations from global leaders like the Norwegian FutureBuilt initiative and the cities of Oslo, San Francisco, Stockholm and Vancouver; as well as Ramboll, Skanska, Stora Enso and Volvo, participants developed proposed action plans that will feed into WorldGBC's forthcoming report addressing embodied carbon. Meanwhile, WorldGBC’s Europe network has officially launched its new think tank – a thought leadership and knowledge sharing platform. At an inaugural event, hosted by Norway GBC last month, the network met to share best practice on the circular economy. For more information, contact Stephen Richardson - srichardson@worldgbc.org
 

WorldGBC CEO news

This week we announced that WorldGBC's CEO Terri Wills who is currently on maternity leave, will step down from her role in July 2019 to focus on her young family, while interim CEO Cristina Gamboa will continue as permanent CEO. Terri started as CEO in 2015 and implemented a new strategy including the launch of the Advancing Net Zero project. Her enthusiasm, energy and persistence made WorldGBC a key member of the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction at the inaugural Buildings Day at COP 21 in Paris in 2015. WorldGBC's Board of Directors has appointed current interim CEO Cristina Gamboa as CEO of WorldGBC. Cristina will continue to lead the delivery of the current strategic plan as well as define and implement the future strategy. To ensure a smooth transition, Terri will stay involved in the coming months to support Cristina and the team in an advisory capacity. Click here for more information or contact Cristina Gamboa - cgamboa@worldgbc.org


See us at events near you in June

On 18-19 June, MENA Regional Head Mohammad Asfour will be joined by GBCs from the MENA region in Marrakech for the 8th FES Sustainable Cities Conference. On 19 June, Americas Regional Head Juanita Alvarez will be speaking at Greenbuild Mexico in Mexico City on a panel about Innovation in Energy Efficiency for Cities in Latin America, joined by representatives from Colombia Green Building Council and WRI Mexico. Find out more here. That same week marks EU Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) in Europe. On 20 June, ERN Director James Drinkwater will be a panelist for the EUSEW session: 'Transition to smart and green buildings: how to scale-up and mainstream?' Moderated by EBRD, the session will open with a keynote from Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President for Energy Union, European Commission. For more information, click here. Visit the calendar on our website to see more upcoming events.


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