World Green Building Council Sets New Goal for Net-Zero Buildings by 2050

PARIS — The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) announced a new project on June 30 that aims to achieve net-zero building performance by 2050. The project, Advancing Net Zero, will help WorldGBC and Green Building Councils in countries with some of the highest projected growth in building roll out net-zero building certification and training so that these highly-efficient buildings become commonplace over the next 35 years, according to a statement by WorldGBC.

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Solidiance Ranks Top 10 Green Performing Cities in the World

SINGAPORE — A new whitepaper issued in June by growth strategy consulting firm Solidiance, based in Singapore, has rated the top 10 highest “green” performing cities from around the world. Out of the top 10 rankings for green building performance, Paris ranked number one. Here is the complete list:

1. Paris
2. Singapore
3. London
4. Sydney

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BREEAM Certification to Share Green Market with LEED in U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM), the UK’s leading green-building rating system for 24 years, is coming to the U.S. as part of a partnership with San Francisco-based LEED consultancy BuildingWise.

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National Pet Hospital Headquarters Seeks Highest LEED Certification

VANCOUVER, Wash. — The corporate headquarters of Banfield Pet Hospital, relocating from Portland, Ore., to Vancouver, is seeking the highest LEED certification for its dog-friendly workplace. The 206,000-square-foot pet hospital is 44 percent more energy efficient and 40 percent more water efficient than a typical building its size. It is aiming for LEED Platinum certification, the highest LEED rating for new buildings.

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Solar Energy Lab Wins Design Award, Stands Out for Sustainable Materials

BERKELEY, Calif. — AIA East Bay awarded the University of Berkeley’s solar energy lab the Citation Award for its remarkable design in late 2015. Chu Hall, an alternative energy research facility housing more than 100 researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), followed Berkeley Lab’s mission of creating “sustainable, carbon-neutral sources of energy” during its design and construction.

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