From 2016 to 2018, the EmBuild project supported municipalities to develop local renovation strategies, focused on tackling their public buildings. The ultimate aim was to address the challenges of reducing energy and CO2 emissions, by driving the development and adoption of ambitious plans.

The ultimate test of the business case for high performance low carbon building is to consider how the human benefits of these buildings could be reliably quantified to prove beyond all doubt the positive Return on Investment (ROI). After all, staff costs, including salaries and benefits, typically account for about 90% of business operating costs.

Developed and administered by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ICSA), the ‘IS Tool’ is designed to be used to evaluate the sustainability of infrastructure across design, construction, and operational phases. The tool can be used as part of a self- assessment as well as being able to be formally certified as ‘Commended’, ‘Excellent’, or...

Discussion paper and roadmap Stage 1 for commercial, institutional, and government buildings and fitouts

Covering roofs and walls of buildings with vegetation is a good way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And these green roofs and walls make cities look nicer. Toronto’s central business district adopted a policy of establishing green roofs on around half of all city buildings in 2009. Research shows this could reduce maximum city temperatures...