Steps Towards a Low-Carbon Future

Greeshma Mysore Girish attended the US Greenbuild International Conference & Expo on the US Green Building Council’s 30th anniversary in Washington, DC. This year’s conference involved several interesting track sessions, workshops, green building tours, and inspiring keynotes. We’re very glad to see that USGBC is taking significant steps to drive the built environment through a low-carbon future that is equitable and resilient and promotes the wise, safe utilization of all resources.

Another significant milestone was the unveiling of the first draft of LEED v5 for Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings. There was also a little sneak peek of the Energy and Atmosphere section of LEED v5 BD+C, which is structured to create the 2050 buildings the world needs. The new LEED version aims to tackle the most pressing sustainability challenges the industry is facing today and covers 3 broader categories – Climate Action, Quality of Life, Ecological Conservation, and Restoration.

With hundreds of pioneering professionals and researchers in the green building field, and cutting-edge manufacturing industry, the session ended with an inspiring keynote from marine biologist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson on how the industry should work collaboratively to achieve a better future—“It’s not about the glory. It’s about the ripples. Set your egos aside, collaborate, and change the world.”