International programme on sustainable building launched under the leadership of Finland
The Sustainable Buildings and Construction Programme, which is a part of the United Nations' 10-year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP), was launched today in connection with the meeting of the UN Habitat Governing Council held in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the leadership of its Ministry of the Environment, Finland has accepted primary responsibility for steering the programme at least until 2018. The launch event was hosted by Finland's ambassador to Kenya, Sofie From-Emmesberger.
Finland's Minister of Culture and Housing, Pia Viitanen, also sent her regards to the meetings: "Sustainably built environments are based on cities that operate in an energy-smart manner, companies that utilise creative solutions and people who make sustainable choices. The chain of sustainability is only as strong as its weakest link."
The programme aims to build understanding and interaction on the importance of buildings and construction as part of the ecological, social and economic development of cities, regions and countries, both nationally and internationally. The programme will spread information on good practices, create networks and speed up innovation in the sector, thus improving the business prerequisites for sustainable construction.
This summer, the Ministry of the Environment will prepare the programme's work plan based on the framework of UNEP, the United Nation's Environment Programme, and in cooperation with national and international interest groups. The key themes of the programme are policy measures for supporting sustainable construction, sustainable housing, and the resource efficiency and climate impacts of construction.
The decision to establish the global 10-year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns (10YFP) was made at the United Nations' Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held in 2012. The UNEP serves as the secretariat of 10YFP. In addition to sustainable construction, themed programmes on, for example, sustainable public procurement and sustainable lifestyles have been launched within the same framework.
The other leaders of the Sustainable Buildings and Construction programme are UNEP, the World Green Building Council and Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. The programme's operations are steered by an international expert committee, with representatives from, for example, the governments of various countries, organisations, companies and research institutes.
In Finland, the aim is to inspire a wide range of sustainable construction operators to participate in the creation and realisation of the programme.
More information
Senior Architect Harri Hakaste, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 295 250 074, [email protected]
In Nairobi 20–22 April 2015, GMT +3
Counsellor Annika Lindblom, Ministry of the Environment, tel. +358 50 3283860, [email protected]
In New York 20–24 April 2015, GMT -4