Green building design and development is experiencing a surge in market penetration globally. This is due in large part to the success of Green Building Councils that are forming in countries around the world.

For a number of years now, national Council representatives have met to review global activities and offer support for each other’s efforts. This led to the creation of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) in 2001 – its primary role being to formalize international communications, help industry leaders access emerging markets, and provide an international voice for green building initiatives.

In early 2007, national Council leaders identified the urgent need to establish a Secretariat for the WorldGBC that could directly respond to the growing industry interest in green buildings and communities from an international perspective. The Secretariat has now been formally established and is directing its efforts from a LEED Gold building, housed inside The Living City Campus near Toronto, Canada. The Campus is owned and operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), a 350-person, 50-year-old organization with a long history of environmental conservation.

"The decision to move our operations to Toronto was made based on working with a world-class team that can support our efforts. The partnership with the TRCA will help accelerate our goals to rapidly build capacity and meet global demand for Green Building Councils over the next few years".                                                                     Kevin Hydes, Chair, WorldGBC