As the global green building market has evolved, we must evolve with it. We have to expand the way we talk about sustainability. The heart of the green building community’s efforts must go well beyond construction and efficiency, and the materials that make up our buildings.

Last week I was at Greenbuild China, and it’s true: If we want to position China as a leader in the fight against climate change, we must dig deeper. If we want to ensure our conscience outweighs our penchant for complacency, then we’ll have to do a better job at identifying and communicating the stakes. We’ll have to focus on what matters most within our buildings: human beings.

Because, after all, the standard we are most committed to raising is that of the quality of life itself—for every member of this community, and in populations spanning every corner of the planet.

We launched the Living Standard campaign and research in the U.S. last year to better understand how to accomplish this lofty but important goal. If you haven’t heard about it, Living Standard is an exploration of a new way of thinking and talking about those stakes in the context of human health and well being.

Which is why I am excited to share that we have officially launched Living Standard in China. Like we did in the United States, we will start by conducting national research in the first quarter of 2020 to help us better understand how to support and engage the larger Chinese community in our mission. This research will guide us to advance our mission over the next 25 years.

We hope that in the coming months and throughout 2020 and beyond, this will bring a new kind of collaboration — one that will unite us with individuals and member organizations like Expo Shanghai Group, Swire Properties, Delta, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Dow and others who pursue different pathways, but share our ultimate goals.

If we want to get through to people—if we want to show people that the green building community is uniquely positioned to solve the challenges we face—we’re going to have to talk in concrete—human—terms.

After all, one of the most important takeaways from our research isn’t unique to the United States. Storytelling is universal and we’ve found that when it comes to climate-related risks, telling a better story is the key to a better outcome.

So, let’s talk about your story — the story of China — and let’s do that by first discussing the new Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone. It just became the first city in China and the world to certify at the Platinum level under LEED for Cities: Planning and Design. The airport will become the largest in the world and when completed, the economic zone will become a driving force for economic growth in the country.

Great! All important information.

But wouldn’t it be far more memorable if I explained its importance by using people as the metric?

For example, what if I said this: In six years, the airport is going to support 72 million passengers and 2 million tons of cargo every year. And the Civil Aviation Administration of China says the airport will add 600,000 jobs. Think about that — 600,000 people will have an income, will have a way to put food on their table, will have more means to support their child’s education. And 72 million people will be added to the economy, will travel for work, for family, for all of it — more efficiently — because of the airport’s surrounding economic zone and this certification.

And what if I told you that two years ago, I met with Mr. Luo Bo Ming from the Beijing New Aerotropolis Company to discuss this project? And that I saw firsthand how he and his team contributed to the LEED for Cities: Planning and Design rating system that will help transform communities in China and around the world? And that because of their passion and hard work, it was that much more fulfilling for me to see it come full circle in person, in September. It’s a group I admire and whose story I will share as an example for the rest of us.

The fact is that strides in mainstreaming green building are being made here every day — not only as a way of combating climate change in China, but as making this a way of life in general.

We couldn’t be prouder of the community here.

But what we’re learning from Living Standard is that if we want green building to be used as a universal approach to the climate crisis, we must first simplify our story.

So partner with us on our Living Standard campaign. In 2020, we want to hear from you. We want to help write the next chapter of green building with you. Because that’s how we’ll help people outside our community understand why the work we’re doing is so important. That’s how we’ll help inspire new leaders and advocates, builders and communities to get involved and take action in China and across the world.

And yes, that’s how we’ll treat this work like the moral imperative it is — and how we’ll recognize that the cause we’re fighting is the most important of our time—the fight for survival itself, and for living standards that should sustain generations to come.

Visit www.livingstandard.org, sign up for the campaign, and start sharing your stories.

伴随着全球绿色建筑市场的逐步发展，我们也必须改变，不能再以传统的方式来诠释“可持续发展”这一理念。绿色建筑群体的努力一直是推动绿色建筑市场发展的重要动力，现在是将其进一步升华的时候了，绿色建筑并不仅仅只是关注建造、效率、建材或建筑本身，而是有着更深层次的内涵值得探讨。

上周，我出席了Greenbuild中国绿色建筑峰会。我相信，只要我们更深层次的挖掘绿色建筑的功能，就能进一步提升中国在对抗气候变化这一战役中的领导地位。只要我们掌握更好的方式来发现和沟通绿色建筑的好处，就能让更多的人们不再局限于自身的利益。让我们关注与建筑最息息相关的部分：人。

我们一直承诺要为这一代每一个人提升生活品质。而这些人遍布于世界的每一个角落。

去年我们在美国首次开展Living Standard——“品质生活”系列活动及调研，希望更好的了解如何实现这一崇高而伟大的事业。Living Standard致力于探索全新的思考与交流模式，从而让人们更好的接受那些会影响其健康和福祉的重要信息。

今天我很高兴的宣布，我们将在中国开展Living Standard项目。和美国版一样，我们首先从全国范围的调研开始，并于2020年第一季度正式启动。该调研将有助于我们了解，如何才能更好的支持并激发中国绿色建筑群体的积极性，从而参与我们共同的事业。这一调研成果将有助于我们开展未来25年的工作。

我们希望在接下来的2020年及之后，该项目会带动全新的协作方式——无论是个人，还是会员组织，像上海世博发展集团、太古地产、台达、台积电、陶氏化学等企业，都能紧密协作，万众一心，共同实现我们的最终目标。

如果要向身边的每一个人传达绿色建筑群体对于解决环境问题的特殊意义，我们必须学会用“人类的语言”来说明。

总之，在我们美国版的调研中，发现有一点是具有共性的——每个人都爱听故事。当需要解释环境问题所带来的风险时，讲一个好故事是成功的关键。

所以，让我们一起来讲故事——一个关于中国的故事。我们可以先从北京大兴国际机场临空经济区讲起。该机场是中国，也是全球首个获得“LEED 城市：规划与设计”铂金级认证的项目，完工后，将会成为全球最大的机场。该经济区也将成为中国经济增长的重要推动力。

以上描述已经很好的涵盖了所有重要信息。但是，如果我以“人”为本，来重新诠释这一故事，是否会更加深入人心呢？

如果我说：在接下来的6年里，该机场每年将迎来7,200万客流和200万吨货物吞吐量。根据中国民用航空局发布信息，该机场将带来60万个新增就业岗位。试想60万人民将有收入来源改善他们的生活品质——吃好、用好，培养好下一代。7,200万的乘客将对国家经济做出贡献，无论出差或旅游，都将变得更有效率。而这一切归功于该机场及周边经济区的规划和设计，以及绿色建筑认证。

如果我告诉你，2年前，当我和北京新航城公司的罗伯明先生讨论这个项目的时候，我首先看到的是他和他的团队在推动“LEED城市：规划与设计”体系在国内外项目应用上所做的贡献。他们的热情与努力全程激励着我，也使项目能够在九月圆满完成。这是一个让人尊敬的团队，我也将继续和他人分享该团队的故事。

在中国，绿色建筑作为主流行业每天都在发展之中——不仅仅是作为应对气候变化的解决方案，更是逐步改变着大众的生活方式。

我们为中国绿色建筑行业所获得的成就感到无比骄傲。

通过Living Standard这一活动，我们将了解：要让绿色建筑理念普及并真正成为解决气候危机的工具，我们必须首先学会如何讲述我们的故事。

因此，请加入我们的Living Standard活动。2020年，我们希望听到您的声音。我们希望与您共同谱写下一篇绿色建筑乐章，帮助更多行业外的人士了解我们所从事的事业的重要性。这将有助激励产生更多新生领导者和拥护者，建造者和专业人士，不断壮大中国及世界的绿色建筑运动规模。

对我们来说，这是一份无比崇高的事业。为之奋斗是我们这个时代最重要的任务。因为我们所做的一切不只是为了生存，更是世世代代得以维持的品质生活的保障。

访问我们的活动官网：www.livingstandard.org ，现在就注册并开始分享您的故事。