Uniting the green building community
CAGBC’s technical expertise and membership base helps bridge the gap between governments and the building sector. Through CAGBC initiatives, we provide opportunities for the Canadian building sector to collaborate, advance sustainability, and influence policy at the local, provincial or federal level.
Examples of CAGBC efforts include the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Building Retrofits Initiative, where our partnerships helped guide the development of Canada’s most extensive commercial and institutional retrofit program. We lead the Workforce 2030 Coalition to upskill the building workforce for low-carbon buildings, and the Disclosure Challenge, which brings together real-estate leaders in support of data transparency and benchmarking.
Partners in project delivery
CAGBC draws from its members – leaders in building design, construction, and operations. Our members provide the insights that shape our policy recommendations. They participate in the CAGBC committees and groups that advance our mission to transition Canadian communities to highly-efficient, healthy green buildings.
Disclosure Challenge
CAGBC’s Disclosure Challenge champions data transparency and encourages the adoption of benchmarking in the Canadian real estate market. When collected and shared, building performance data can help reduce emissions, improve efficiency and save money. Leaders in the real estate sector have joined with CAGBC to show how tracking and sharing data can be transformative.
Workforce 2030
CAGBC acts as the administrator of Workforce 2030, a coalition of employers, educators, and workers from across the building sector. The coalition is actively building the workforce of the future through low-carbon skills and training. The coalition’s efforts include targeting government policy, business practices, and education to quickly grow and upskill the workforce to meet the growing demand for low-carbon buildings.
Workforce 2030 began as an Ontario initiative, but interest is growing. CAGBC is helping establish similar industry-led workforce solutions across Canada.
Coalition for green schools
CAGBC is a member of the Global Coalition for Green Schools. The coalition unites groups around the world working to make schools healthy and sustainable. Launched in 2013 by the Center for Green Schools and the World Green Building Council, the coalition works to ensure green schools for all within this generation. In Canada, the coalition is supported by CAGBC members who contribute time and expertise to help transform Canadian schools.
What makes a school green?
Reduce environmental impacts & costs
Green schools limit their environmental impact by reducing energy and water use, cutting back on fossil fuel used in transportation, reducing waste shipped to landfills, and protecting natural habitats.
Improve occupants’ health & performance
Green schools protect students’ and teachers’ health by ensuring a clean and healthy indoor environment and providing services and programs supporting good nutrition and physical activity.
Increase sustainability literacy
Green schools support sustainability literacy through curriculum and instructional practices that are interdisciplinary, place-based, and rooted in a real-world context.