The World Green Building Council and the World Resources Institute-led Building Efficiency Accelerator have joined forces to double participating cities’ rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030.
The Green Building Councils of Colombia, the United Arab Emirates, Poland and South Africa will start to work with the mayors and municipal governments of Bogota, Dubai, Warsaw, and Tshwane to advance energy efficiency in buildings.
This is important because although cities occupy just three per cent of the land cover on earth, they account for 70 per cent of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, cities are expanding at a phenomenal rate,adding 180,000 new inhabitants every day.
The WorldGBC will share its resources and help city leaders understand how certification of green buildings can help to spread good practice and create demand.
“Cities are powerful leaders: as owners, investors and regulators, they shape the sustainability of our future,” WRI’s Building Efficiency Initiative director Jennifer Layke said. “Buildings that are efficient improve the productivity of both people and energy systems”.
Source: Eco-Business,  New push to double city energy efficiency gains by 2030