by jbs112409 h3 — November 30, 2009—Global green building organizations reached a ground-breaking agreement November 17 to adopt a common global language for the measurement of the carbon footprint of buildings, just weeks ahead of COP15 in Copenhagen. The organizations say this is a critical and timely step that will enable the world to realize the unparalleled, cost-effective carbon mitigation potential of buildings, which account for around 40 percent of the world’s energy use and 33 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
The “common carbon metric” will be piloted by the leading green building rating tools, such as LEED and BREEAM, and made available to all those who are dedicated to promoting the understanding and development of a green, low-carbon and sustainable built environment. The metric is recognized by the UNEP Sustainable Building and Climate Initiative, and will be highlighted before decision-makers at the conference in Copenhagen in December.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, from December 7 to 18, 2009. The conference includes the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 5th Meeting of the Parties (COP/MOP 5) to the Kyoto Protocol.
