Green building as a bold business strategy

The global building sector is coming together to recognize the power of green buildings in delivering business value, improving efficiency, and enhancing long-term asset performance. This growing number of forward-thinking companies and investors appreciate the importance of green buildings – for people, planet and prosperity. As a result, adoption is on the rise and new sustainable financing models are accelerating both new projects and retrofits. Yet, any businesses still underestimate just how much value green buildings can deliver to their bottom line.

That’s why the theme for World Green Building Week 2025 (Sept 8-12) is “Business goes better when you’re bold on buildings.”

Smart buildings are smart business

WorldGBC, along with its 75 member GBCs are working to put green buildings at the top of many organization’s agenda. As sustainability becomes an increasing priority for governments, investors, and consumers, businesses are recognizing that green building practices can deliver tangible returns on investment while contributing to a more sustainable future. Today, sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have, but a strategic business priority. By opting for new green buildings or deep carbon retrofits in existing assets business have the power to:

• Future proof assets and protect local communities through sustainable, climate-resilient design 
• Lower operating costs through greater energy and water efficiency, and reduced maintenance costs  
• Increase occupancy rates and tenant satisfaction by providing healthier, more productive and desirable spaces that people want to work and live in
• Ensure readiness for new reporting needs, especially around carbon emissions and sustainability commitments for boards and shareholders
• Improve long-term asset value and open doors to green financing opportunities  
• Shield against economic shocks including the rising cost of energy and carbon
• Enhance brand reputation by leading on climate and resilience
• Future proof assets and protect local communities through sustainable, climate-resilient design 

Low risk, high impact

Being inherently climate-risk averse, green building also makes a strong case for safer investments. From an investor’s perspective, structures designed to be more resilient and energy efficient are better prepared for extreme weather, and to comply with future building code and updated regulation. In Canada, 2024 was the costliest year on record for severe weather-related loses – at $8.5 billion – nearly triple 2023’s insured losses. In 2025, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, two days of flooding in Quebec alone resulted in nearly $120 million in insured damage. And with weather intensity increasing, those costs will only increase, creating real demand for resilient buildings.

Investors and developers may also benefit from incentives and financing programs reserved for green retrofit projects and climate-resilient new builds. For example, many government programs offer incentives– in the form of tax credits, or others – to encourage green retrofits, including access to low-cost financing through the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Building Retrofits Initiative , the Federal Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) for clean technologies, and the Canada Greener Affordable Housing Program (CMHC) for multi-residential building retrofits. Many lenders are also exploring green loan or financing programs like BMO, RBC. VanCity and others.

Be bold on buildings

From reduced operating costs and higher asset values to healthier, more productive workplaces, the evidence is clear: sustainable buildings aren’t just good for the environment, they make strategic business sense.

Given the evolving business landscape, World Green Building Week (Sept. 8-12) –provides a timely platform to highlight your businesses’ future-ready leadership. Led by the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) and partner councils like CAGBC, this annual campaign raises awareness, drives global conversations, and promotes practical action to reduce the environmental impact of buildings.

Interested in demonstrating your commitment to new, sustainable buildings or deep energy and carbon retrofits? Join WorldGBC’s #BeBoldOnBuildings by:

• Downloading these localized assets to share your stories of being bold on buildings
• Use the #BeBoldOnBuildings hashtag in social posts to join the global conversation and tag CAGBC
• Register or take part in a WGBW event
• Sign on to the WorldGBC’s Business action statement, part of the COP30 agenda to accelerate the sustainable transition of the building sector globally

Interested in learning more?

• Explore CAGBC’s Policy Framework
• Learn about smart transition planning for your buildings with TransitionPlanningNow.ca and RetrofitsNow.ca , two new CAGBC initiatives
  • Check out our latest research including Decarbonizing Canada’s Large Buildingsand Making the Case for Zero Carbon Buildings