Green building rating systems stimulate market demand for high-performance buildings, provide "branding", and transform the skills and knowledge of the industry as a whole. WorldGBC supports member councils' efforts to adopt and implement market-based transformation tools -- such as BREEAM, CASBEE, Green Star and LEED -- that meet local needs. At the same time WorldGBC is providing a global forum and leadership in the effort to create a system to collect and disseminate global information on comparative attributes of building performance.

An important goal of the WorldGBC is to coordinate efforts with other international forces to optimize everyone's effectiveness. WorldGBChas partnered the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), and supports UNEP's Sustainable Building and Construction Initiative, and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development's Zero-energy Buildings Project.

WorldGBC is led by respected industry leaders who are widely recognised for their contribution towards furthering sustainable development. Each of them has been deeply involved in the creation of the green building council in their country. This experience gives the WorldGBC a powerful basis for assisting other countries to form their own council.

WorldGBC Activities

The WorldGBC works in many ways to support members and to accelerate the development of emerging councils and rating systems. The WorldGBC provides organizational tools, advocacy, facilitation, information, a non-partisan forum, and other valuable resources that help people take highly effective action locally.

The WorldGBC supports members' efforts to adopt, implement, and refine market-based transformation tools that meet local needs. At the same time it provides leadership and a global forum that supports the effort to provide standardized global information on building performance.

WorldGBC delivers the following three specific tools/resources:

• Website capable of sharing green building information, case studies, government initiatives, construction projects, rating systems and technologies. The website also includes a forum for members and non members to voice their opinions and knowledge of the latest green building practices.
• WorldGBC SEEDS Toolkit to provide models and examples of Green Building Council organizational structures, by-laws, officer/board responsibilities, funding opportunities, and products such as green building rating systems.
• Annual International Congress with two goals: sharing successful models of Green Building Councils and providing a formal forum for members to guide the growth of the WorldGBC.

Benefits

The WorldGBC was established to share the latest technical knowledge and advancement of national green building information.

By bringing together the Green Building Councils from around the world it is ensuring that the building industry worldwide is working together in the advancement of green buildings.

Members of the WorldGBC have the opportunity to contribute to the coordination, collaboration and advancement of work that supports the development and implementation of high performance or "green" building principles, including the following:

• Standards;
• Rating and certification systems;
• Performance measures;
• Technologies;
• Products;
• Resources;
• Projects and case studies.

We believe that global needs can be met more economically through the creation of one Council which will in turn lead to the acceleration and enhancement of environmental benefits over time.