About the Green Building Initiative

The Green Building Initiative (GBI) is a not-for-profit organization established to accelerate green building among mainstream practitioners. GBI encourages increased education that will result in sustainable design and construction practices. In early 2005, GBI introduced the Green Globesâ„¢ environmental assessment and rating system, an online tool for assessing sustainable design criteria, to support these goals.

GBI consists of a network of design and construction industry leaders committed to sustainable design. The mission includes adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings, with a focus on residential and commercial design and construction. In addition to overseeing Green Globesâ„¢ in the U.S., GBI works with Home Builder Associations to develop green building programs for the residential market based on the National Association of Home Builders Model Green Home Building Guidelines.

GBI is governed by an independent board of directors comprised equally of producers (building material suppliers), users (architects, engineers and builders) and interested third parties (academics and non-governmental organizations). Details on the GBI board and lists of supporting and associate members are available atwww.thegbi.org.

Evolution of Green Building Rating Systems

Although relatively new to the U.S. market, Green Globesâ„¢ is the product of over nine years of research and refinement, beginning in 1996 when its forerunner, the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), was adapted in Canada. Subsequently, the Canadian system underwent various iterations, becoming BREEAM Green Leaf in 1999 and Green Globesâ„¢ in 2002.

When GBI acquired the rights to distribute Green Globesâ„¢ in the U.S., it made a commitment to continued improvement, to ensure the system reflects ongoing best practices in sustainable design. Changes required for adapting Green Globesâ„¢ to the U.S. market covered units of measurement, U.S. versus Canadian references, and the incorporation of U.S. programs, such as the EPA Target Finder. After pilot testing, GBI added on-site inspection as an essential part of the verification process, to strengthen the system's effectiveness and credibility.

In 2000, the Green Globesâ„¢ developers created a streamlined, user-friendly system, and converted the paper-based assessment to an online version. Although green building was not as widely accepted or used in Canada at the time, public agencies and the building industry expressed increased interest in energy efficient design opportunities, and ways to assess them. As an online tool with an affordable cost, the Green Globesâ„¢ rating system was thus available to a wider audience seeking ways to implement environmental design.

In Canada, Green Globesâ„¢ is one of two green building rating systems, along with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®), from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), recognized by the Canadian government. Under the trade name Go Green Plus, Green Globesâ„¢ is also the basis of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada's national energy and environmental program for existing buildings, which the Canadian federal government recently adopted for its entire real estate portfolio.