April 29, 2009—The Australian and Chinese green building councils recently signed a “landmark” agreement in China to enhance collaboration between the two councils and to accelerate the universal adoption of sustainable building practices.
According to Tony Arnel, chair of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the China Green Building Council (China GBC) and GBCA share a common vision to promote green buildings through efficient use of energy, water, eco-friendly materials and selection of environmentally sustainable sites.
“Both councils agree that greening China’s property industry is of global importance because of the scale and speed of construction in China,” Mr. Arnel says. “The two Councils believe that enhanced cooperation can accelerate the uptake of green buildings in China for the economic, environmental, and social benefit of both countries.”
The two councils will share information on government policy and other programs that have assisted the Australian and Chinese building and construction sectors to adopt green building practices, as well as exchange best practices in managing and administering rating programs.
GBCA will help China GBC progress to full membership of the World GBC, and the two will host business delegations and engage in joint research opportunities. They will also participate in each other’s events and programs, specifically Australia’s Green Cities conference and China’s Fifth International Conference on Intelligent, Green, and Energy Efficient Buildings in the spring of 2010.
