Global green building alliance launches industry-first guide on net zero

With buildings accounting for over 30% of global energy use and more than a quarter of emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that the majority of existing buildings will still be standing in 2050, necessitating large-scale capital investments to support sustainable retrofits and meet climate targets. 

Davina Rooney, CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), said the alliance will strengthen global cooperation between the finance and real estate sectors, which will be essential in kickstarting the $35 trillion investment needed by 2030. 

“The $35 trillion investment needed to meet global energy transition goals represents almost 10% of the value of global real estate – so we’re talking about investments on a gigantic scale.

“The good news is that this guide demonstrates how working with any of the leading rating tools, whether it’s Green Star, LEED, BREEAM, Green Mark, HQE or NABERS, will ensure a better outcome for people, the planet, and your balance sheet.” 

CEO of Singapore's Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Mr Kelvin Wong said, "The International Sustainable Finance Guide represents a significant step forward for the built environment as it will equip investors and financial institutions with the tools to recognise the value proposition of green buildings. We are confident that this initiative will lead to a wider adoption of BCA’s Green Mark Scheme and other similar green building rating systems internationally. This will help catalyse the sustainable growth of the building sector worldwide towards a low carbon future."

Executive Director of the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), Yvonne Soh, said the guide will ensure that rating systems can align with finance instruments and bond frameworks worldwide, driving impact on a global scale.

“This guide will bring us closer to a world where sustainable development is not just an option but a cornerstone of global economic activity,” Soh said.

Antoine Desbarrières, President of Alliance HQE-GBC France, said she is proud to contribute to the guide, which demonstrates a collective determination to transform the built environment. 

“By promoting green finance and robust certification systems, we can accelerate the transition to sustainable buildings and infrastructure. This collaboration is crucial for driving the large-scale changes needed to meet our climate goals."

Despite the proliferation of sustainable finance instruments in recent years, their potential is undercut by limited understanding and uptake. The guide’s forward-looking recommendations are designed to bridge this gap, enhancing interactions between the finance and real estate sectors and standardising green building practices in diverse geographies. 

Integrating major building certification systems like BREEAM, Green Mark, Green Star, HQE, LEED and NABERS provides a practical and robust framework for unlocking sustainable finance, ensuring that progress towards a more sustainable built environment is underpinned by scientifically backed, trustworthy methodologies.

President and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Peter Templeton, said the value of directing more capital into buildings and portfolios goes beyond decarbonisation. 

“While meeting our global decarbonisation goals is an essential driver, investment in sustainable buildings and portfolios will also deliver measurable improvements to occupant health, community resilience and ecosystem restoration.” 

The guide champions a holistic approach by integrating health and social outcomes as critical investment metrics, moving beyond mere financial and environmental returns. This transformative shift calls for a fundamental reshaping of traditional practices, encouraging investors to embrace the risks associated with new technologies, scale existing solutions, and prioritise social impacts. As such, the alliance is committed to developing criteria in tandem with finance providers to comprehensively create, measure and report on social value.

Produced by an international alliance comprising the UK-based Building Research Establishment (BRE), the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the newly welcomed Alliance HQE-GBC France, this groundbreaking guide marks a significant milestone in the coalition’s efforts to accelerate global climate action. These institutions are behind some of the world’s most influential green building rating systems — BREEAM (BRE), Green Star (GBCA), Green Mark (Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority and SGBC), HQE (Alliance HQE) and LEED (USGBC).

Read the full guide — Financing Transformation: A Guide to Green Building for Green Bonds and Green Loans

Find out more about BREEAM.

Notes to Editors

For press enquiries, please email brepress@pagefield.co.uk 

About the international alliance 
The international alliance composed of BRE, GBCA and the USGBC has recently welcomed four new members including the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC), Alliance HQE-GBC France, GRESB, the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), and the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM).  

With the Singapore Green Building Council joining the alliance, the Green Mark certification scheme developed by Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will be incorporated into the practical guide, ensuring that rating systems across every continent are covered. More information about BCA’s Green Mark certification scheme can be found here.

Having GRESB and CBI as supporting partners means that the alliance is backed by the key players that investors, banks, and issuers rely on to demonstrate the sustainable credentials of their portfolios and debt instruments. 

The alliance will hold an event during London Climate Action Week on the 27th June 2024 – Uniting the global built environment to drive climate action – at The View in The Royal College of Surgeons, London to mark the publication of the official guide. The event will bring together individuals, organisations and communities with a focus on sustainable development as they discuss ways to accelerate global climate action. If you would be interested in attending the event, please email BRE.RSVP@pagefield.co.uk. 

For all press enquiries, please contact brepress@pagefield.co.uk 

About Building Research Establishment (BRE)
BRE is a world leading, multi-disciplinary, building science centre with a mission to improve buildings and infrastructure, through cutting-edge research and knowledge generation. BRE maintains a range of products, services, standards and qualifications that are used around the world to bring about positive change in the built environment. Learn more at www.bregroup.com.

About the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)
Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is the nation’s authority on sustainable buildings and communities. Our mission is to accelerate the transformation of Australia’s built environment into one that is healthy, liveable, productive, resilient and sustainable. We work with industry and government to encourage policies and programs that support our mission. We educate thousands of people each year on how to design and deliver sustainable outcomes for Australia’s buildings and communities. And we operate Australia’s only national, voluntary, holistic rating system for sustainable buildings and communities - Green Star, which works alongside NABERS to ensure comprehensive coverage of building performance. Green Star has also been adapted for us in the New Zealand and South African markets. www.gbca.org.au

About the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to transforming how buildings and communities are designed, built and operated to create thriving, healthy, equitable and resilient places that advance human and environmental wellbeing. USGBC leads market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, an international network of local community leaders, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org.

About the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC)
The Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) enables sustainability across the building and construction value chain, championing capability development and innovative solutions that support industry transformation through our Membership, Certification and outreach programmes. The repository of proven green building solutions helps to enable green procurement in the industry, profiling leading and innovative solutions that go towards building a greener, healthier built environment. Together with a growing pool of industry-recognised Green Mark Accredited Professionals, SGBC addresses every touchpoint of the green building ecosystem. For more information, please visit www.sgbc.sg 

About Alliance HQE Green Building Council France
HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale) is a comprehensive French green building certification system established in 2004 that has evolved over two decades into a globally recognised standard for creating and operating high-performing sustainable buildings. HQE provides a robust framework for minimising environmental impact, enhancing quality of life, safeguarding minimum economic performance, and ensuring strong project governance. For more information please visit www.hqegbc.org