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Green buildings are better buildings

Green buildings are creating more prosperous, productive and healthy communities. That’s the message from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) during the fourth annual World Green Building Week.

This week, green building councils (GBCs) in 98 countries representing more than 25,000 organisations hosted events and run campaigns to emphasise the theme: ‘Greener Buildings, Better Places, Healthier People’.

“Green buildings are simply better buildings”, said GBCA Chief Executive, Romilly Madew.

“In Australia, Green Star-rated buildings produce 62 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, use 66 per cent less electricity and consume 51 per cent less potable water than average Australian buildings.

“They also send a fraction of the waste to landfill.”

But it seems green buildings are not just good for the planet – they are good for people too.

“Sustainable buildings are boosting student test scores, accelerating patient recovery rates, improving worker productivity and slashing energy bills,” Ms Madew explained.

WorldGBC’s Chief Executive Officer, Jane Henley added that World Green Building Week showcased how green buildings are reducing the global carbon footprint, saving money and improving productivity, creating jobs and improving the lives of millions of people.

“The WorldGBC network has expanded from eight GBCs in 2002 to 98 today”, Ms Henley said.

“This explosive growth underscores the value of our industry, as we work together to create a world of greener, better, healthier buildings”, she concluded.