SB07 HK, a conference examining the latest developments for green buildings worldwide started today. Jointly organized by a number of non-profit and governmental entities, the conference is one of a series of events that will culminate in a global green buildings symposium in Melbourne in 2008.

Rodney Milford, Immediate Past President of International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction, outlined the imperative for change, "we are at a crossroads in our planet," he said. Buildings, he added, account for between 40 and 60 percent of electricity use and thus their role in tackling climate change will be a key point in the renegotiation of the Kyoto protocol.

The Hon Professor Patrick Lau, Member of Hong Kong's Legislative Council, said that global warming is a practical and not just political problem. He also added that business had a social responsibility to face environmental issues. "Business should understand and work together with governmental and grassroots groups, and note that there are also commercial opportunities to be grasped," he said.

The conference will last two days and feature presentations and case studies from across the globe. RFP