Focus on Singapore as Global Green Building Hub

For the first time, the World Green Building Council International Congress will take place in Asia in the lead up to World Green Building Day on 23 September. It is one of a trio of eco-events in Singapore next month to create Southeast Asia’s biggest and most important gathering of ‘green’ builders and property developers ever organised. Meanwhile, Australia is putting renewed focus on greening existing building stock.

WorldGBC International Congress: 13-15 September, Singapore

Southeast Asia’s premier Build Eco Xpo, BEX Asia is back from 13-15 September at the new Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Focused on green building architecture, design, products, practices and technologies for environmental sustainability, BEX Asia 2010 provides a platform for industry practitioners, professionals and key buyers across the region to network and do business with Southeast Asia’s developing economies.

The four-day event is being staged alongside the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) International Congress 2010 and the inaugural Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) ‘Green Building Conference’.

It will be the first time the WorldGBC International Congress has taken place in Asia and is part of the lead up to World Green Building Day on 23 September.

In partnership with the SGBC and Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), the trio of eco-events combine to create Southeast Asia’s biggest and most important gathering of ‘green’ builders and property developers ever organised. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and engage with invited experts at workshops, tours and talks scheduled throughout the four days.

Over 200 exhibiting companies from more than 20 countries internationally will showcase their latest environmentally-friendly building technologies, products, concepts and solutions at BEX Asia 2010. Major players to showcase include BASF, Carrier, EnGro Corporation Limited, Johnson Controls and Trane.

“BEX Asia is quickly establishing itself as a must-attend event in the industry by offering a platform for exhibitors to present their products and to educate potential customers on the benefits of their solutions,” said Michelle Lim, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions

In tandem with growing global concern and commitment to environmental sustainability, BEX Asia has gone from strength-to-strength since its inception in 2008. It has grown from 100 exhibiting companies in the first year to more than 200 in its third year, and from 4000 visitors in its first year to an expected 7,000 this year.

“We expect the momentum to continue this year with possibly another record-breaking turnout,” added Ms Lim.

About WorldGBC International Congress

The WorldGBC International Congress forum, a series of sessions from senior government officials, industry experts and a minister from China, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia will also play a poignant role during the event. Discussion topics will include: A World Green Building Campaign, Tackling Global Climate Change, Meeting Local Priorities; Rating Tools and Common Carbon Metric; Policies Paradise (with UNEP); Innovations in Financing Green Solutions.

One of the highlights of the show will be “Leadership in Green Building Lecture Series 6″ led by green building experts from around the world including David Johnson, Westcoast Director, San Francisco of William McDonough + Partners, and Bill Odell, Director, Science and Technology Group The HOK Group.

SGBC’s inaugural “Green Building Conference” on Day Three will tackle various debates pertaining Zero Energy Buildings and Cutting Edge Green Building Technologies and Designs, with practical application through case study analysis.

Source: www.sgbc.sg

Report from RMIT (25 August 2010):

Greening the existing building stock

What does it take to make old buildings green? How can we encourage innovative renovations and retrofits to improve the nation’s environmental footprint?

The challenge of transforming existing buildings for a sustainable Australia will be explored next week at the 8th annual Green Building and Design Conference (Friday, 3 September – Saturday, 4 September).

RMIT University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Margaret Gardner AO, will introduce the Victorian Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings MLC, to give a welcoming address.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle will welcome delegates and speak about the City of Melbourne’s 1200 Buildings initiative – a program that places the city at the cutting edge of the global green building movement.

Keynote speaker, RMIT Adjunct Professor Alan Pears AM, will examine ways for renovators and project teams to ensure that renovated buildings become assets for the future, rather than liabilities.

The conference aims to bring together architects and designers, policy makers, energy consultants, building owners and the building industry to explore innovative trends and practices in building retrofits.

An outstanding line-up of speakers from the residential and commercial sectors, as well as private and public institutions, will detail case studies of building adaptation and elaborate on closing the gap in energy and water efficiencies between old and new buildings. Site visits on Saturday, 4 September will complement the program.

The Green Building and Design Conference is presented by RMIT’s Centre for Design and School of Property Construction and Project Management, and is sponsored by Sustainability Victoria.

What: Green Building and Design Conference 2010
When: Friday, 3 September, 8.30am (Keynote Speech: 9.20am)
Where: Village Roadshow Theatrette, State Library of Victoria Access through Entry 3, La Trobe Street, Melbourne 

Source: www.rmit.edu.au

GBCA media release (26 August 2010):

The GBCA is exploring a new approach in addressing existing buildings within its Green Star suite of rating tools. This approach would allow a Green Star tool for existing buildings to:

- address building operations and maintenance, including performance benchmarking;
o incorporating NABERS metrics where available
o incorporating other reporting standards where appropriate
- address many different building types – not just office buildings;
- be comparable to Green Star Design and As Built ratings;
- assess individual buildings and entire portfolios;
- be cost-efficient and user friendly in its delivery;
- reward environmental performance that exceed standard practice;
- recognise market leadership in holistic building operations and management.

The scope of the tool is to be developed based on the guiding principles above and in consultation with a Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG). The SRG is made up of organisations that would potentially use a Green Star tool for building operations – portfolio managers, facilities managers, maintenance organisations and building owners.

It is expected that the scoping phase of the Green Star ‘existing buildings’ project and the SRG involvement will last 3 to 6 months. Following the scoping phase, and approval by the GBCA Technical Steering Committee and Board, a Technical Working Group (TWG) will be assembled to allow wider industry consultation and to address specific technical issues relating to existing buildings.

Source: www.gbca.org.au