The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and New Buildings Institute (NBI) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing the organizations’ relationship. The agreement signed last month defines how the two organizations will collaborate to advance and promote energy efficiency, enhance resilience and achieve carbon reductions in buildings. This is critically important as buildings account for nearly 40% of carbon emissions globally.

“This partnership creates an important alliance to advance our regional and global collaborative efforts,” said Bill Sisson, WBCSD Executive Director, North America, overseeing WBCSD's global work on the built environment. “We will jointly accelerate meaningful progress on making buildings part of the climate solution by engaging all stakeholders in the value chain.”

Specifically, WBCSD and NBI are seeking to develop and disseminate effective solutions for full life cycle decarbonization of new and existing buildings and districts. In addition, the collaboration will work to expand the number of businesses and building owners investing in net-zero performance as well as grow capability of the building industry to meet this demand. Other intentions include accelerated adoption of zero-energy and zero-carbon standards and tools across the entire life cycle of buildings and promotion of the Building System Carbon Framework as a tool enabling decarbonization.

“An important aspect of this work is a focus on enhancing social equity, public health, and resilience associated with buildings, energy and energy systems and communication of these achievements,” said NBI CEO Ralph DiNola. “We know WBCSD is the right partner to tackle this issue.”

Both organizations work with a variety of stakeholders including buildings owners, designers, operators, consultants, government officials and businesses with building portfolios. The partnership is intended to engage with the critical market actors to accelerate and scale net zero policies and practices that will dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment in the United States and share lessons learned across the world.