Green Building

In June 2013 the 15 Mayors of Israel's large cities accepted a joint municipal policy to implement Green Building in all member cities, and resolved to adopt the Israeli Green Building Standard (IS 5281) as a mandatory planning requirement.

This step placed the large cities in Israel at the forefront of worldwide local action to create healthier, more sustainable, resource-efficient and robust cities. In addition to its contribution to reducing GHG emissions, this decision stands in line with Forum 15’s mission of enhancing cities’ capacity for advanced, resilient and innovative urbanism. By adopting the standard, within a broader framework of sustainable urban development, our cities are actively providing their citizens with better housing, better opportunities for employment and leisure, as well as improved accessibility and mobility.

Background

Forum 15’s “Green Building Resolution” was initiated by the Forum’s professional taskforce on Green Building and Planning, aka “The Municipal Forum for Sustainable Urban Planning and Building“, and was preceded by two years of careful planning, research and policy drafting. This taskforce comprises of professionals from Forum 15’s member cities, as well as from additional organizations including relevant Government Ministries & NGOs.

The decision was based on the findings from the GHG emission surveys, conducted by the signatory cities to Forum 15’s Climate Convention, which indicated that the greater part (average 72%) of GHG emissions in these cities originate from energy consumption in buildings.

In order to provide cities with an effective tool to reduce their emissions, our taskforce developed policy instruments to enable cities to implement measures for Green Building. The first instrument was adopted as a Mayors’ Resolution in 2011 (aka “The First Mayors’ Resolution”), and provided a preliminary statutory basis for the integration of green building in planning requirements.

Two years later, in June 2013, a second resolution was accepted - to adopt Green Building as mandatory municipal policy and to integrate the Israeli Green Building Standard (IS 5281) into mandatory planning requirements in all member cities.

In 2020, the state of Israel adopted Forum 15's Green Building Policy as a national statutory requirement, following which Forum 15 upgraded it's policy, and in Januaery 2022, a third Mayors' resoluton was adopted - to adopt a higher level of green building standard within the existing framework of the Forum's mandatory requirements. 

Green construction is a key tool both for mitigation and adaptation, combining elements of emissions reduction, adaptation, quality of life and green growth. Its principles apply not only to single buildings but also to planning policy at the street, neighborhood and city levels. This is another step in the development of Israeli cities as sustainable and resilient, aligning them with major cities across the globe.

Forum 15 is a key player in promoting Green Building on the local and national levelts, including leading an active forum of green building professional from our member cities, successfully promoting the adoption of the Israeli Green Building Standard as a national requirement, working with relevant government offices in order to remove hindrances and provide incentives for green building, participation as active members in the Israeli Green Building Council (ILGBC), participation in professional conventions and assembling professional knowledge and information regarding green building, etc.

Forum 15 Mayors’ Resolution to Adopt the Green Building Standard

The resolution included a detailed and incremental guideline for the Standard's integration into the cities’ planning policy, as well as a detailed guide for implementation of these requirements within municipal planning system, regulations and requirements.

In addition to the structured and incremental implementation plan, the Mayors’ Resolution was followed by the establishment of an overseeing committee, to track the Resolution’s implementation, and adapt it to the various trends and developments in the Green Building Standard and the market as well as to inputs from our member cities.

In addition, the “The Municipal Forum for Sustainable Urban Planning and Building“ continues to meet regularly in order to exchange ideas, further the scope and develop policy tools for promoting sustainable building and planning.

 

The Israeli Green Building Standard (IS 5281)

The Israeli Sustainable Building (Green Building) Standard (IS 5281) defines green building for Israel. It forms the outcome of a lengthy process involving hundreds of experts and stakeholders from Israel and around the world.

In order to meet the minimum requirements of the Standard (one star level) a building must achieve at least 55 points. Some of these points are earned by checking off threshold conditions and others may be accumulated through various combinations of “green” elements included in the building’s planning and construction.

The Israeli Green Building Standard (IS 5281) - “Star” Rating:

Star Rating

Points

*

55 - 64

**

65 – 74

***

75 - 82

****

83 – 89

*****

90 +

 

 

Related content:

Work begins on world’s second largest PV system on a stadium roof (Petra Hannen, February 17, 2022, PV magazine)
What if Old Buildings Are Greener Than New Ones? (Henry Grabar, Dec 06, 2021, Slate)