The Globe Alliance Calls On The International Community To:

Invest in the built environment as a leading strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.i

Increase capacity, knowledge sharing and technology cooperation between developed and developing nations.i

Commit to equitable, inclusive approaches to resilient, low-carbon infrastructure and development.i

Develop and adopt consistent metrics that facilitate monitoring, verifying and reporting emission reductions.i

Financial resources are key to overcoming the upfront costs that prohibit the construction of new green buildings and the retrofit of existing buildings. Financing for clean energy technology and adaptation should support building efficiency projects and sustainable, disaster-resilient infrastructure in developing countries. To capture the full emission reduction potential of buildings, all available avenues of funding should be used. This includes the commitments under the Copenhagen Accord for new and additional finance as well as other major other funding streams such as:

  • loans
  • investment in the form of carbon offsets,
  • official development assistance, and
  • new and innovative mechanisms.

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Even with vastly scaled up funding, countries will need the tools and the know-how to design efficient buildings and sustainable communities in order to make low- or no-carbon development goals a reality. Workforce training will be critical for achieving widespread adoption of best-practices, fostering innovation, and creating the next generation of green jobs. Additionally, technology sharing must include strategies to increase capacity for basic groundwork, such as enforceable codes, as well as more advanced approaches like holistic urban planning that integrates transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure to decouple rapid urban population growth with emissions and other environmental impacts.

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Pursuing green buildings and sustainable communities as part of any development strategy must include underrepresented and vulnerable communities, and align with poverty alleviation goals. Part of this approach means utilizing appropriate financing options that avoid putting already poor countries into further indebtedness. When planned inclusively so that green communities are available to all citizens, regardless of race, income level, or other social factors– sustainable buildings and cities can improve the quality of life for millions of people by providing safe and healthy places to live, work, and go to school.

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Global adoption of consistent energy performance standards and metrics across building types and at the city level will increase transparency, facilitate public and private investment in energy efficiency, and support the development of baselines and benchmarks. Once established, measurable, reportable, and verifiable (MRV) building emission reductions can then assist in ensuring efficient buildings are part of nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and will facilitate access to market-based mechanisms like the Clean Development Mechanism – which as currently designed, largely excludes end-use efficiency projects.

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Why buildings?

Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of the world’s energy use (IEA, 2005; Price, et al, 2006), and approximately 33% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. (Price, et al, 2006; IPCC, 2007)

Using existing and proven technologies, we have the ability right now to reduce energy consumption in new and existing buildings by 30-50 percent without increased costs. (UNEP, 2009)

Through increased efficiency, we can reduce emissions from commercial and residential buildings by at least 29 percent by 2020 at zero cost. (IPCC, 2007)

Among all sectors, in all countries, and at all cost levels, the building sector represents the greatest and most cost-effective reduction potential. (UNEP, 2008)

Green buildings emit up to 39% less CO2 emissions and use 40% less water when compared to traditional buildings. (Kats, 2003)

The GLOBE Alliance at COP-17 

See all the events at this year's UN Climate Talks geared toward green buildings, sustainable cities, and energy efficiency.  Find more information and details here.  


NEW! The Road to Rio +20: Exploring the Role of Buildings and Cities in the Green Economy 

The U.N. Environment Programme, World Business Council on Sustainable Development, and the U.S. Green Building Council are launching an event series to highlight examples of the green economy in action, with focus on energy efficiency in buildings and sustainable cities.  Read more

COP 16

Leading Business and Environmental Groups Urge Action on Buildings and Cities at U.N. Climate Summit

Cancun (Dec. 7) - As delegates work to advance a new global climate change pact at the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change conference, 40 environmental and business organizations joined forces to urge governments to prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment and increase investment in this sector.  Read more

 

COP-16 Call to Action


GLOBE Alliance Announces Call for Partners at Greenbuild Conference and Expo

Chicago (Nov. 17) - Press Release

“Sustainable and cost-efficient buildings are the future of Chinese real estate.  In GLOBE, we now have a way to unite voices from around the world on the importance of green development in China and elsewhere, which will help us achieve cleaner cities today and a cleaner future for our children tomorrow.” – Mr. Lun Feng, Chairman, China Urban Realty Association Green Building Committee

What other partners are saying

A Call for Leadership

The magnitude of the building sector’s impact on our environment argues for a change in the way we construct, operate, and even imagine buildings; yet it has up until now failed to compel those most dedicated to fighting climate change on a global scale. GLOBE, an international coalition composed of the most powerful voices in environmentalism, finance, and business, seeks to educate decision makers and world leaders on the unparalleled opportunities that buildings present and to influence critical-path policy discussions on a global scale.

The GLOBE Alliance aims to elevate sustainable building practices as a widespread, cost-negative carbon mitigation strategy, illustrate the inextricable connection between sustainable development and other urgent environmental and humanitarian issues in the developing world, and call on industrialized nations to lead by example. In the face of urgency, we are calling for Global Leadership in Our Built Environment.

GLOBE Partners

  • American Institute of Architects
  • American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
  • Association of Climate Change Officers
  • Building Codes Assistance Program (BCAP)
  • Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA Canada)
  • Carboun
  • Center for American Progress
  • Deloitte Real Estate Advisory France
  • Dow Corning
  • Earth Council Alliance
  • Earth Day Network
  • Econstruccion
  • Ecotech International
  • Enterprise Community Partners
  • Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN)
  • Global Environment & Technology Foundation
  • Global Green
  • Green Consult Asia
  • Green Factory
  • Green For All
  • ICLEI USA - Local Governments for Sustainability
  • Ingersoll Rand
  • Institute for Market Transformation
  • Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
  • Johnson Controls
  • Kids vs. Global Warming
  • Lend Lease
  • MBO, Inc
  • Miron Construction
  • National Home Performance Council
  • National Institute of Building Sciences
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • United Nations Foundation
  • United Technologies Corporation
  • Urban Land Institute
  • Use-It
  • World Business Council on Sustainable Development
  • World Green Building Council Members
  • Argentina Green Building Council
  • Canada Green Building Council
  • Chinese-Taipei Green Building Council
  • Colombia Green Building Council
  • France Green Building Council
  • GBC Brasil
  • GBC España
  • Green Building Council of Croatia 
  • Guatemala Green Building Council
  • Jordan Green Building Council
  • Mexico Green Building Council
  • Panama Green Building Council
    Peru Green Building Council
  • Philippine Green Building Council
  • Polish Green Building Council
  • Romania Green Building Council
  • Turkish Green Building Association
  • U.S. Green Building Council