A Green Building Council for the UK would ensure that we stay in the vanguard of sustainable building. There's been one in the USA for 11 years, so shouldn't we have one too?
A prospectus for establishing a UK Green Building Council was launched recently, with a mission to dramatically reduce the environmental impact of buildings by radically improving the way they are designed, built and managed. BRE actively supports this initiative as it believes a UK-GBC would provide focus and leadership for sustainable construction in this country.
The need for existing sustainable construction activities in the UK to be consolidated in order to provide a clear direction for the industry, has been identified by The Sustainable Building Task Group. BRE Chief Executive, Martin Wyatt, believes a Green Building Council will do this. "If real transformation is to take place on the scale required, a national coalition is essential to promote and champion the design and construction of sustainable buildings. A UK-GBC would do so in a practical and concerted manner for the benefit UK business as well as the environment."
The Council would be an industry initiative set up and run by stakeholders for the general good, with both the will and the financing to bring about real change.
"This is a tried and tested model, and one that is operating successfully in eight countries around the world," says Martin Wyatt. "In the US, where it has been operating for 11 years, we have seen the emergence of a body of green building practitioners and a dramatic rise in the number of buildings with low environmental impact. Thirty other countries are considering setting up national councils and becoming members of the World Green Building Council. I think that speaks for itself."
The UK has an enviable reputation for being in the vanguard of sustainable design and construction. A UK-GBC will be able to draw on the wealth of guidance and tools that are available in the UK, including BREEAM, the international award winning environmental rating system for buildings. The key objectives of the UK-GBC will be to act as a champion for green buildings and to optimise profit for business by developing and enhancing the UK's world class position in sustainable building design. A number of key organisations have already pledged their support for a UK Council.
For more information or to register interest in becoming a Founding Member, visit www.ukgbc.org below.
