Our Vision & Mission
Building the Future Demands System Change
As global urbanisation accelerates and climate pressures intensify, the places where we build - and how we build - matter more than ever. Cities concentrate population growth, economic opportunity, and climate risk. Increasingly, the trajectory of cities will shape the trajectory of our planet, making sustainable urban transformation both an urgent necessity and a defining opportunity of our time.
We are evolving our focus to responsible urban development — advancing integrated urban development and placemaking that creates greener, healthier, and more resilient places for growing urban populations.
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Our Vision
Influence how cities are built, renewed, and cared for - advancing responsible urban development and placemaking that integrates buildings, infrastructure, and public space to create greener, healthier and more resilient places for growing urban populations to live and work.
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Our Mission
To support citymakers as change accelerators for sustainable construction — mobilising knowledge, partnerships, and practice to translate integrated urban thinking into tangible impact where it is most urgently needed.
Three Long-Term Impact Goals
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Transfer Ideas and Knowledge
We gather, publish and promote timely and relevant content on critical topics for sustainable urban development.
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Empower a Community of Changemakers
We support a global network of citymakers
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Showcase Real-World Solutions
We recognize and support urban lighthouse projects
Sustainable Construction Framework
Since 2003, the Foundation has defined and promoted a clear framework for sustainable construction. These Historic Goals & Principles remain fundamental to how we evaluate performance and guide progress across the built environment.
Our Goals
To sustain our human-made habitat for current and future generations, all building and infrastructure projects must address four interdependent goals in both design and implementation:
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Uplifting places
Beautiful and spatially relevant structures that work in unison with the local context and culture.
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Healthy planet
Structures that minimize resource use, avoid emissions, and embed solutions to repair ecosystems and restore biodiversity.
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Viable economics
Financial planning that combines short term project feasibility with long term circular value creation.
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Thriving communities
Inclusive and affordable living environments that cultivate equity, health and well-being.
The Principles that Guide Us
Achieving these goals requires more than technical solutions. It demands leadership, collaboration and systemic thinking. The Foundation’s guiding principles cut across all four goals and ensure that sustainable construction moves from aspiration to implementation.
Holistic
We believe in a systems approach which recognizes the interdependence of place, people, planet and economic goals, and considers these all equally.
Transformational
We believe in the pursuit of the most breakthrough ideas and solutions to accelerate the sustainable transformation of the construction industry at speed and scale.
Transferable
We believe that thought leadership and cutting-edge solutions must be put in the hands of the entire construction sector to drive real world impact.