the last decade or so, green building cer-
tification programs have raised the bar for
energy efficiency and sustainable building
practices. As a result, the way that build-
ings are being designed and constructed,
and subsequently maintained and operat-
ed, has already changed substantially.”
Mr. Mueller says that as a framework for
evaluating building performance, the Zero
Carbon Building Standard can potentially
enable governments to implement regu-
latory programs fostering greater sustain-
ability. “A lot of green building efforts have
been voluntarily, but governments are
increasingly realizing the potential of the
building sector for meeting environmental
goals,” he says. “And we want to help pre-
pare the industry for future changes, such
as more stringent building codes, prices
for carbon pollution as well as energy use
in general.”
To ensure that the Zero Carbon Building
Standard reflects the sector’s needs and
priorities, it was developed with exten-
sive industry input, says Mr. Mueller. “We
wanted to make sure the program is at-
tractive to the building industry and rigor-
ous in its outcomes. It is also designed to
help property owners and managers as-
sess their buildings’ performance and gain
recognition for leadership efforts.”
It is Mr. Mueller’s experience that there
is a very strong business case associated
with green buildings – and it encompasses
30 business elite canada
H
AUGUST 2017
