Debate—Should Developing Countries Adopt Green Building Standards Created by Industrialized Nations?

EESI Board Chair Jared Blum is participating in an online debate. He is arguing that construction and urban projects in developing countries should adopt green building certifications (LEED, BREEAM, etc…) created in developed and industrialized nations.

His opening remarks and rebuttal have been posted on the debate site, oddebates.com.

Opposing Blum is Dr. David Wachsmuth, the Canada Research Chair in Urban Governance at McGill University.

Closing statements by both debaters will be posted on January 22.

After the debate, a jury of experts will award three prizes (1,000 CAD$, 500 CAD$, and 300 CAD$) to the three best contributions written on the blog. These contributions can take the form of short texts that support one side or the other of the debate, provide examples, or challenge concepts at any one of the three steps of the debate (opening, rebuttal, and closing).

The winners of the prizes and the debate will be announced on January 25.

The debate and competition are being organized by the Canadian Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Reconstruction Research Alliance (Œuvre Durable) and Information and Research for Reconstruction (i-Rec).