Beyond the Business Case: Investing in a Sustainable Built Environment

Watch the webinar recording below!

The Council of the Great Lakes Region and the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) hosted a webinar on Wednesday, March 16th. This webinar focused on Beyond the Business Case, a groundbreaking report by WorldGBC outlining why real estate businesses can’t afford NOT to invest in a sustainable built environment.

Launched at COP26, the Beyond the Business Case (BTBC) report provides a timely and unique perspective for decision-makers to accelerate the built environment’s sustainability transformation; by capitalizing on the economic opportunities, addressing risk mitigation and, importantly, embracing the social value case.

The report demonstrates seven irrefutable co-benefits for investing in a sustainable built environment, across both the financial and social value case. In alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the findings are supported by evidence-based research through innovative case studies.

During the webinar, attendees tuned in for a discussion with WorldGBC about the BTBC report and key findings along with the significance of investing in a sustainable built environment in the bi-national Great Lakes region and beyond! There was also a Q&A session at the end where attendees asked our expert speaker relevant questions regarding the webinar content.

Real estate alone accounts for 37% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, this report inspires urgency — but urgency with optimism.

Expert Speaker:

Catriona Brady, Director of Strategy and Development, World Green Building Council

Catriona is the Director of Strategy and Development at the World Green Building Council. Her work is focused upon the strategic development and implementation of new global and regional projects and programmes for the World Green Building Council network, consisting of 70 national member councils, and their 36,000 members.

As part of this role Catriona manages WorldGBCs global programme on Resources & Circularity in the built environment, dedicated to enhancing resource efficiency and catalysing the circular economy within the building and construction sectors. Additionally, Catriona oversees as well as the Better Places for People global project. This project aims to help the global Green Building Council network achieve a built environment that is healthy and sustainable for people and the planet, and is active in over thirty national Green Building Councils worldwide.

Catriona regularly speaks at high level events, industry conferences, and webinars, and serves on a number of expert Task Forces related to areas of sustainability, including health and wellbeing, sustainable infrastructure and the circular economy in the built environment. Catriona has also authored a number of notable industry publications, including WorldGBC’s ‘Health & Wellbeing Framework’ in 2019, WorldGBC’s ‘Sustainable Buildings for Everyone, Everywhere’ strategy in 2020, and both ‘Beyond Buildings’ report on sustainable infrastructure and ‘Beyond the Business Case’ reports in 2021.

Prior to joining the World Green Building Council in May 2018, Catriona worked in environmental consultancy with experience in energy modelling and strategy, urban masterplanning and sustainability and health-based certification standards. She is also a fully qualified secondary school teacher, with two years experience of secondary school teaching Geography (plus an experienced spin instructor). Her educational background consists of a degree from the University of St Andrews in Geography. Originally hailing from the west of Scotland, she is currently based in London, in the United Kingdom.

Moderator:

Lora Shrake, Senior Program Director, Business and Sustainability, Council of the Great Lakes Region

Lora Shrake is the Senior Program Director, Business and Sustainability for the Council of the Great Lakes Region. With over 20 years of experience, Lora has dedicated her career to the environment and sustainability issues. Her management and leadership spans across non-profit operations, environmental program management, stakeholder engagement, strategy, and research.

Prior to joining CGLR, Lora led a national green building council in the United Arab Emirates where she oversaw all aspects of the organization’s cross-functional development, including its impact and reach.