About the Author: Patrick Meyer is the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Adviser in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources.

Globally, more than half of the world’s population now lives in urban settlements, and over the next 30 years virtually all of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in urban areas in the developing world. Energy demand will also increase — and in some countries, dramatically. Electricity demand in the residential and commercial sectors is projected to increase at 2.5 and 2 percent per year, respectively, outpacing population growth as access to electricity increases and the use of appliances and air conditioning expands. Electricity demand in the residential sector is projected to increase by nearly 90 percent globally by 2035.

Green buildings are an approach to building that meet the demands of the 21st century and have many proven benefits, including lower long-term operating costs via reduced energy consumption, reduced emissions, improved… more »