New agreement to drive energy efficient buildings

The World Green Building Council’s Europe Regional Network and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of sustainable property development.

“EBRD runs various financial instruments which support energy efficiency renovation of buildings, and its experts will be engaging in and supporting the policy dialogue run by the Green Building Council in countries such as Croatia and Turkey, to help design the right national financial programmes to support the growth of the renovation market,” James Drinkwater, Director of the World Green Building Council’s Europe Regional Network, told Cities Today.

The agreement provides a framework to cooperate on a number of areas of sustainable building practices, including promoting best industry standards and practices for energy and resource efficiency, climate resilience and building sustainability; promoting innovative zero-waste design, green urban planning and low carbon emissions; engaging in policy dialogue; and mobilisation of financial resources.

“Cities have often played a leading role in the national debate about driving local standards, and can continue to do so–by adopting green building certifications such as BREEAM, DGNB, HQE and LEED–and setting strong procurement and ‘above code’ policies,” added Drinkwater. “To drive mainstream industry towards higher ambition levels, our Europe Regional Network have been working with the European Commission and other stakeholders, including municipalities, on the building sector parts of the EU’s new Circular Economy Package.”

The agreement was signed in Zagreb, Croatia, at the Twelfth Annual International Conference on Real Estate Development. The two parties agreed a work programme for 2016 where Croatia will be the first country they will work together with, alongside the Croatia Green Building Council. This will include collaborating on financing components of Croatia’s national building renovation strategy through WorldGBC’s BUILD UPON project.

“EBRD is currently involved in a regeneration project with the city of Split in Croatia,” said Drinkwater. “Here, the Green Building Council is helping those on the project connect with experts within their local green building community to help advise on practical ways to ensure urban regeneration plans embed sustainability from the outset. Part of the cooperation relates to growing a strong and sustainable tourism industry across the region, so creating sustainable and healthy places can be part of the strategy to strengthen a city’s incomes from tourism.”