Twelve countries were represented at the 2005 World Green Building Council International Congress held in San Francisco, USA. The Congress - sponsored by Turner Construction and Carrier Corporation - attracts the Green Building Council leaders from around the world who present and share successful models of Green Building Council's, environmental rating tools and future challenges facing the green building movement.

Countries that have already formed a Council include: Australia, Canada, India, Mexico, Taiwan and the United States. Representatives from these countries presented at the congress on the status of their Green Building Council. It was an honest account of their successes and the issues they are facing as they continue their growth. They also imparted valuable advice to those in the audience considering the challenge of forming a Council which included: Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Russia.

Delegates of the congress had travelled a long way at considerable expense to join the World Green Building Council at its 6th annual congress. According to World Green Building Council Chair, Ch¨¦ Wall, "people travelling this far at their own expense is a strong sign of the value of such an event, one participant flew over 40 hours to be a part of it".

He believes the value comes mainly in the sharing of information and discussions with likeminded individuals who are on the same path, pioneers of the green building movement who are changing their industry by establishing a not-for-profit council and environmental rating system.

Ch¨¦ Wall - the founder and Director of the Green Building Council of Australia and Director of Lincolne Scott - has been the Chair of the World Green Building Council for the past three years and was re-elected to serve another twelve months. During his next term a number of challenges lie ahead, particularly assisting countries such as Brazil, China and New Zealand form councils.

Mr Wall believes the current Green Building Council model is the best method of accelerating change in the property industry to adopt green building practices. This belief was reinforced when 50 mayors from the world's largest cities signed the Urban Environmental Accord which included mandating a "green building" rating system.

The World Green Building Council was an official partner of the United Nations World Environment Day being held at the same time in San Francisco. The focus was Green Cities with over 60 mayors from the World's largest cities in attendance. The result was the signing of the Urban Environmental Accords, a document that outlines 21 actions cities will take in areas ranging from waste reduction to public transit and eco-friendly building.

According to the Environmental Accords document, the signing mayors have between now and World Environment Day 2012 to implement the 21 actions - three per year - including:

- Adding renewable energy sources.

- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030.

- Achieving zero waste to landfill by 2040.

- Implementing "user-friendly" composting programs.

- Mandating a "green building" rating system.

- Supporting organically grown food production and consumption.

- Creating more environmentally beneficial jobs in poor neighbourhoods.

- Ensuring there is a city park or green space within one-half kilometre of every city resident.

- Greatly increasing trees in cities.

- Adding affordable public transit.

- Reducing and eliminating harmful chemicals within cities.

- More access to potable water.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom characterised the accords as a collective dream that pointed the way to a cleaner, greener future for the plant's cities. "The challenge is to take these (accords) and manifest them," Newsom said. "My expectation is that this is the beginning of our work together. We hold ourselves accountable".

The first mayor in the world to sign the Urban Environmental Accords was the Lord Mayor of Melbourne John So.

At a mayors luncheon the Lord Mayor presented on CH2 and other green building initiatives in Melbourne. He made particular reference to the Green Building Council of Australia, citing this as a successful example of a public-private partnership. The Lord Mayor ended his presentation with a call to action urging other mayors to be supportive of the establishment of a Green Building Council in their country and mandating a green building rating system similar to Green Star.