UN Photo/Milton Grant

Keywords: Inclusion (1 hits),

As we move toward the kickoff of the historic Rio+20 conference next year, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Building Council Brasil are focused on advancing the Inclusion of a framework for sustainable and resilient urban infrastructure and the built environment. As we all work to inform the next global paradigm that will ultimately be forged in Rio, we have prepared the following joint position paper that elaborates on the importance of green, resilient communities and neighborhoods, sustainable and affordable housing, and green schools, with a central message that green building is at the vanguard of a new green economy.

By issuing recommendations to governments around the world who are working to bring to scale sustainable solutions in the areas of urban growth and the built environment, this paper provides a framework for action under the Rio+20 theme ?the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication? that is centered on the following strategies.

1. Foster Green Communities and Neighborhoods:

-Revise zoning codes and development ordinances to facilitate high-density and mixed-use development.

-Provide a range of incentives to developers for building green.

-Make public financing conditional on sustainability criteria.

2. Achieve Sustainable and Affordable Housing:

-Strengthen residential building codes to include thresholds for energy and water use.

-Integrate green features into government housing programs and funds for affordable housing.

-Work with private lenders to establish a green mortgage program.

-Incentivize homeowners and affordable housing project owners to undertake green retrofits.

3. Build Green Schools:

- Identify and implement health, safety, and environmental standards for school buildings.

- Establish a revolving loan fund for green school renovations.

- Implement a green purchasing policy for public schools.

- Integrate schools into broader urban and community planning.

4. Pursue Resiliency as part of the Sustainable Built Environment:

-Consider resilient infrastructure and buildings throughout the development process as an adaptation strategy for climate change.

-Pursue sustainability and resiliency strategies together wherever possible as they address equally important dimensions of climate change in urban environments?mitigation and adaptation.

-Invest in resilient, green buildings as a ?no regret? strategy, as they prepare vulnerable populations against the long-term uncertainty of climate change while adding health benefits and improving the quality of life to affected individuals in the short-term.

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Please see full Submission Document.