2012: The year of 1 billion square metres of registered green building space

2012 was a momentous year for the International Green Building movement.

According to the World Green Building Council, the amount of registered sustainable green building space eclipsed one billion square metres for the first time in human history.

After only ten years, 18% of all CBD office space across Australia is Green-Star certified.

Chief Executive of the Green Building Council of Australia Romilly Madew claims this is proof of a 'vast cultural shift in the way our society considers sustainability at the building level.'

"In 2013, our challenge is to go further. We must make smart, sustainable communities with streets built for people, not simply designed for cars, and developments linked by walkways and bike paths, parks and kitchen gardens, with precinct-wide water saving systems and integrated renewable energy systems, the unequivocal symbols of progress in our time."

"Sustainability must become inherent within the way we work. The way we move. The way we live. If we are to create truly green global cities for future generations of Australians, sustainability must become part of our nation’s cultural identity."

Australia's leading sustainable built environment conference, Green Cities 2013, will be held in Sydney in early March 2013 and will feature world-leading key notes speakers including:

• Rob Bennett - Executive Director, Portland Sustainability Institute

• Daniel Grollo - Chief Executive, Grocon

• Dan Labbad - Group Chief Operating Office, Lend Lease

• Gunter Pauli - Author, Teacher, Activist, Entrepreneur

• Lucy Turnbull - Deputy Chair Government Advisory Panel on Capital City Infrastructure

• Eric Knight - Economic consultant, political commentator, Author of Reframe

• James Castrission and Justin Jones - Aussie Adventurers, Crossing the Ditch

Full program details for Green Cities is available from the event website.