A number of successful green building initiatives have been launched by C40. Many of these programs address individual building sectors (e.g. municipal buildings, schools etc), others set specific resource conservation targets (e.g. 25% water savings, 30% material reuse, net zero construction. At the same time, many C40 cities have yet to establish a comprehensive approach for sustainable new development.

This session explored policies and programs to address the sustainability and climate impact of new construction, including building codes, Standards and incentives for new building developments.

The moderator was Rio de Janeiro Vice Mayor and Secretary of the Environment Carlos Alberto Muniz, and speakers Heidelberg Mayor Dr. Eckart Wurzner, and Almudena Fúster, Madrid’s architect.