Mainstreaming Green Buildings in the EU

This was the fifth and the last webinar in our Autumn Webinar Series in partnership with the GoNaturePositive! project. 

On November 28, 2024, a diverse group of professionals, policymakers, researchers, and sustainability advocates came together for the insightful webinar "Mainstreaming Green Buildings in the EU". Organized by the European Federation of Green Roof and Living Wall Associations (EFB) and the Portuguese National Association of Green Roofs (ANCV) in the frame of the GoNaturePositive! Project in collaboration with the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform, this event highlighted innovative approaches to integrating green roofs, living walls, and other nature-based solutions into urban landscapes.

The session featured two distinguished speakers: Vera Enzi-Zechner, Vice President of the European Federation of Green Roof and Living Wall Associations (EFB), and Cristina Calheiros, Vice President of the  Portuguese National Association of Green Roofs (ANCV). Both experts brought their deep knowledge and practical insights to discussions about enhancing urban sustainability.

Key Highlights:

Nature Positive Economy

Vera Enzi-Zechner introduced the Concept Note on Nature-Positive Economy, prepared by the partners of GoNaturePositive! Project. The Concept Note seeks to ensure that all economic activities result in an absolute increase in nature, aligned with societal well-being and ecological equity. She also emphasized the importance of operationalizing this concept across scales, from local initiatives to EU-wide policies.

The Role of Green Roofs and Walls

Enzi-Zechner provided an overview of green roof and wall technologies, market trends, and their alignment with EU directives such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the Nature Restoration Law. She underscored their potential for biodiversity promotion, stormwater management, and urban heat island mitigation.

Portuguese Innovations in Green Building

Cristina Calheiros shared inspiring examples of Portuguese projects, including the use of cork-based drainage systems in green roofs (GUL Project - Green Urban Living Project: https://www.neoturf.pt/en/investigation/gul-greenurbanliving). These projects demonstrated innovative uses of sustainable materials and showcased the dual benefits of improved thermal performance and enhanced biodiversity in urban settings.

Interactive Discussions

Using tools like Mentimeter, participants engaged in real-time survey, contributing diverse perspectives on challenges and opportunities for green buildings: the ecological trade-offs of construction to identifying nature-positive use cases for green building technologies.

A Call for Collaboration

The webinar emphasized the need for collaboration among stakeholders, from governments to private enterprises, to mainstream nature-based solutions. Attendees were encouraged to join the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform and provide feedback on the ongoing consultation on the Nature-Positive Economy Concept Note.

This event was an inspiring showcase of how green building technologies can transform urban spaces into vibrant, sustainable, and resilient ecosystems.

For more information about the webinar and upcoming events, visit the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform (https://naturebasedenterprise.com/events) or the website of the European Federation of Green Roof and Living Wall Associations (https://efb-greenroof.eu/).

Webinar Recording

For further information on the GoNaturePositive! project and to follow the latest developments, visit https://www.gonaturepositive.eu/.