Building sustainable future cities that are good for the planet and offer sound economic returns is the focus of the upcoming Green Property Summit in 2017.
Taking place on 29 March at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Auckland, the summit will bring together leading experts in sustainability and the built environment to discuss how New Zealand can combine building green with lucrative investment opportunities, to create healthy cities of the future. The summit is a joint event by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) and Property Council New Zealand.
The summit’s theme ‘Future Cities, Post 2020’ will delve into climate change, technology advancements, energy efficiencies, and the development of urban communities within proven guidelines and rating tools.
According to NZGBC chief executive, Andrew Eagles the summit comes at a crucial time for the property industry with the building sector responsible for 20 per cent of the country’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.
“The talent we have brought together in this summit is vital to addressing the issues future cities face. With increasingly urbanised populations, cities are the focal point for some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. We know that green offices provide better capital returns. New Harvard research outlines staff productivity increases more than 20 per cent. Green certification is the future with the built environment an essential area of focus of the interface between man and nature.”
Chief executive of the Property Council New Zealand, Connal Townsend agrees, saying that smart planning can create healthy, productive buildings that provide a powerful and sustainable platform for the future prosperity of the nation.
“It’s good for the planet, it’s good for cities and it’s good for investors. This is the way forward and we all need to get on board and create sustainable, green buildings that people want to live and work in,” he says.
The summit will feature keynote speaker Dr John Keung, CEO of Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA). Dr Keung who was named one of the Top 25 Newsmakers of the Year 2013 by Engineering News-Record for his work guiding Singapore in sustainable design and construction, will present on how going green isn’t just environmentally sound, but also makes economic sense.
Other speakers include:
• Katie Swenson, a Boston, USA-based leader in sustainable design for low income communities, speaker, author, and green design expert.
• Davina Rooney, general manager Sustainability Stockland’s, and sustainability champion, recognised for numerous industry awards including NAWIC NSW 2016 Sustainability Award, PCA 2014 Future Leaders Award and Sydney University Engineering Young Alumni Award.
• Matthew Ensor, business director – Advisory, Beca and Smart Cities consultant. Matt advocates data-driven smart design to reduce people’s frustrations of living in cities and improve the efficiency of our energy use.
• Peter Mence, chief executive, Argosy Property Limited and president of the Property Council of New Zealand.
• Matthew Cockram,principal and CEO New Zealand, Cooper and Company and independent director of Tainui Group Holdings Limited and Waterfront Theatre Limited. He is also a member of the New Zealand Initiative, the New Zealand Infrastructure Council, Committee for Auckland and the New Zealand Law Society.
Industry-leading CEOs will also discuss their ‘light bulb moments’ where their perspectives on green buildings have changed, how they see Green Star and NABERSNZ standards as necessities for the industry, and how the adoption of sustainable practices has benefited their organisations.
Mr Townsend urges urban planners, architects, engineers, construction industry professionals and developers to attend the Green Property Summit.
“The speakers we have at the summit are at the forefront of construction and property issues both nationally and internationally, this is a summit you cannot afford to miss.”
For more information or to register, visit – https://www.nzgbc.org.nz/events/Event?Action=View&Event_id=489
