Welcome to the Fall issue of BC Focus
I am pleased to welcome you to the fall issue of BC FOCUS, part of a series of regional publications from the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) and Sustainable Architecture & Building Magazine. The fall is always a busy time for CAGBC. We joined 75 other green building councils in September to celebrate World Green Building Week. Led by the World Green Building Council, this year’s focus put the spotlight on building the transition to low-carbon, resilient, and sustainable buildings. CAGBC’s new micro-credential program will help advance this transition. Launched in September, the new program aims to build proficiency in lowcarbon concepts and the application of our Zero Carbon Building Standards. You can read more about the ZCB Micro-Credential in our article on page 19 of this issue. We also host our annual federal advocacy day in the fall. The event brings together industry leaders, public servants, and parliamentarians to explore how green buildings can unlock value and benefits that create jobs, drive innovation, and play an important role in the development of sustainable and affordable housing.
We’re also engaging with our members and stakeholders to ensure that Canada’s building sector is represented in the development of the next version of LEED®, the world’s most widely used and impactful building rating system. CAGBC supports the continuing evolution of LEED by organizing stakeholder-based LEED v5 Accelerator groups that, along with our Technical Advisory Groups and LEED Advisory Committee, review and assemble Canadian feedback. In this issue, you can read more about some of the changes the USGBC has made as we move through the second review period. There’s a lot to cover in this issue, and even more is coming from CAGBC, including a new embodied carbon white paper, a commercial real estate decarbonization report and action plan developed with REALPAC, and The Place Centre, and programs to guide building owners in planning the transition of their assets. I hope you’ll stay connected as we continue to support our members in their ongoing sustainability efforts. And don’t forget to mark your calendar for our annual conference— Building Lasting Change returns to Vancouver, June 18-20, 2025. I hope to see you there. Sincerely, Thomas Mueller President & CEO, Canada Green Building Council
CAGBC will publish a whitepaper exploring how the federal government can ensure its response to Canada’s housing crisis balances quantity and quality with low-carbon, energy-efficient, and affordable housing.
FALL 2024 | BC FOCUS
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