Global Partnership Aligns Sustainable Building Materials Assessment| Building Design & Construction

This partnership will cut through the complexity by creating a shared language and approach for materials assessment. The aim is to adopt a common language, align data and metrics, and establish global targets for climate, nature and circularity. Once these objectives are achieved: 

• Manufacturers will be able to prioritize sustainable products and report data in a more streamlined way. 
• Specifiers will have clearer access to verified claims and be better able to compare product information. 
• Building owners will be better placed to meet sustainability commitments and future-proof their assets by aligning with global standards.  

“By working together, we can give industry the clarity it needs, reduce duplication, and accelerate a global shift to healthier, lower-carbon, circular materials,” commented GBCA CEO Davina Rooney. 

Alignment across major rating tools will deliver immediate benefits for manufacturers and project teams, according to Sarah Zaleski, USGBC’s Chief Products Officer. “Industry needs a clear and consistent signal on what good performance looks like,” she said. “This partnership will support the global supply chain and make it easier for building projects everywhere to choose materials that drive better outcomes for people and the planet.” 

The collaboration is essential to building trust and consistency in the market, according to Jane Goddard, Deputy Chief Executive of BRE. “Our collective goal is to simplify how sustainability data is defined and recognised,” Goddard said. “This will cut the cost of compliance, scale up the availability of better products, and make it simpler to deliver world-class sustainable buildings. 

Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI, said that the initiative is not only about environmental issues but also social and health-related ones as well.  “Creating a unified approach to materials assessment that puts human health at the center of decision making will accelerate the adoption of healthier, more sustainable products all around the world,” said Hodgdon. 

Annie Bevan, President of mindful MATERIALS, said the initiative builds on existing industry work. “The Common Materials Framework provides the backbone for harmonization, and this partnership ensures it can be scaled globally through leading rating tools,” Bevan explained. The building industry has long faced a tangle of inconsistent sustainability criteria. By uniting around a common language and shared framework, we’re removing barriers for manufacturers and project teams—making it easier to choose better materials and accelerate progress toward a healthier, more sustainable built environment.” 

Lindsay Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Living Future, said the partnership represents a powerful opportunity for global alignment. “The global impact of the supply chain of the building industry is staggering, impactful, and therefore we collectively have a huge lever for positive change. By aligning international guidance on healthy and sustainable materials specifications, we can send a clear message to our global supply chains that buildings must be built with materials that are fundamentally good for people and the planet,” Baker commented. 

The first deliverable will be a call to action, outlining the goals of the partnership in greater detail and raising an awareness of the importance of aligned goals. A principles and metrics paper is planned for 2026, setting out the roadmap for alignment. Further work will follow to integrate the shared approach across rating tools and provide clear guidance for industry, the aim of core criteria for industry to work to, sensitive to regional needs. 

“International consistency on materials has been the missing piece in the global climate response,” said Rooney. “This partnership fills that gap and sets us up to achieve climate-positive outcomes faster, together.” 

GBCI Celebrates 2025 Class Of LEED Fellows

Sustainability leaders from around the globe selected to receive the highest recognition for green building professionals

Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) has announced the 2025 class of LEED Fellows. Twenty-three professionals from around the world are being recognized for their mastery of the LEED green building rating system, and exceptional work in advancing green building practices.

This year’s class represents 10 countries and territories from Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North America. They include consultants, architects, real estate developers, and professionals in construction. The LEED Fellow distinction is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated expert-level technical knowledge and a history of exemplary leadership, commitment and service over a minimum of 10 years as a LEED professional.

“LEED Fellows are distinguished and accomplished green building professionals who have demonstrated a commitment to LEED and green building,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, GBCI and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). “The 23 LEED Fellows who will be recognized at this year’s Greenbuild are distinguished leaders whose work is shaping a more sustainable built environment for communities across the globe.”

The 2025 Class of LEED Fellows includes:

The 2025 LEED Fellows will be recognized in Los Angeles on November 5, at the USGBC Leadership Awards Celebration held in conjunction with the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo.