The World Green Building Council

What if there was network of builders all around the world who cared about building in an environmentally safe way?  Well, guess what?  There already is!  This organization is known as The World Green Building Council, and it operates in 90 countries—making it the largest such organization in the world.

The World Green Building Council aims to influence the green building marketplace by urging builders to consider using green materials and practices.  Part of their strength comes from their sheer numbers, strong leadership, network of knowledge, inspiration and strong support.  They want to push the world toward more sustainable building.

A green building council utilizes its members to empower the leaders of the green building industry to work toward transforming the local infrastructure.  “With one hundred thousand buildings and almost one billion square meters of green building space registered, the influence and impact of this global network is a significant force for social and environmental change,” according to the website.

But one such council is not enough.  The World Green Building Council needs to continue to grow so as to pass the message on both locally and internationally.  The WGBC hands out tools and plans to create strong organizations and foster leadership in each country.

The WGBC was created in 2002 and has been working to keep the planet green ever since.  They tackle such issues as global warming, other types of climate change and eliminating the carbon footprint.  However, they believe that green building techniques can also be profitable and deliver a strong return on investment.  They are working to teach industry leaders how to do so.

A bit of exciting news is that the WGBC will be holding a conference from October 16-18 in Cape Town, South Africa.  This will give members a valuable opportunity to share ideas, gain inspiration and network.