Washington, D.C., July 16, 2013
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) today announced that they will collaborate to rapidly scale up the construction of green buildings in emerging markets. The new partnership demonstrates a shared commitment to playing a leadership role in transforming the built environment and mitigating climate change.
The WorldGBC has agreed to connect its network of national green building councils to IFC’s investment and advisory program. The WorldGBC’s local affiliate councils will certify green buildings through IFC’s EDGE, a new web application that reveals solutions at the early design stage to reduce energy, water, and material consumption by 20 percent.
The partnership will focus on rapidly urbanizing countries with surging population growth that need to build sustainably to avoid emissions growth, bolster energy security, and minimize resource depletion. The built environment is expected to double by 2050; China alone has the potential to add 53 billion square meters of building space, which is equivalent to the building stock of Latin America today.
To date IFC has invested more than $570 million in resource-efficient buildings, including directly and through financial intermediaries. IFC has also worked with the governments of Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam to help develop their regulatory environments.
“By leveraging the capabilities of the World Green Building Council and IFC, together we can provide accessibility to the entire green building industry while addressing the core needs of developing countries,” said Prashant Kapoor, Principal Industry Specialist, Green Buildings, IFC. “It is a window of opportunity to democratize the green buildings market.”
“The business case for green buildings continues to drive change throughout the world,” said Jane Henley, CEO, WorldGBC. “The WorldGBC and IFC are organizations dedicated to transforming the marketplace so that all buildings are more sustainable and efficient. Together, as leaders in this movement, we have an opportunity to directly affect sustainability on a global scale.”
The partnership was announced at “Transforming the Built Environment in Emerging Markets” on July 16 at IFC’s headquarters in Washington. For a complete recording of the event, visit
www.ifc.org/edge
.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. In FY12, IFC’s investments reached an all-time high of more than $20 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs, spark innovation, and tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
About the World Green Building Council
The World Green Building Council is a network of national green building councils in more than ninety countries, making it the world’s largest international organization influencing the green building marketplace. The WorldGBC’s mission is to strengthen green building councils in member countries by championing their leadership and connecting them to a network of knowledge, inspiration, and practical support. For more information, visit
www.worldgbc.org
.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, 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
www.usgbc.org
.
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