The development of environmentally friendly buildings can help stem the tide of global warming of the atmosphere, and so-called green building is becoming more accepted by both the development community and government entities as a tool to slow climate change, said Matt Petersen, chairman & CEO of Global Green. Peterson delivered the opening keynote address at the CPN Development Summit, held Tuesday at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

While acknowledging that there are a few cynics remaining, Petersen said mainstream opinion is that “climate change is real.”

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On-site sewage treatment systems are becoming increasingly common with new development projects, and Victoria’s Dockside Green project is setting the bar high with the goal of treating all of it’s waste on-site, with no sewer connection at all. The system won’t shun the sewage system completely however, as it will require an infusion of municipal sewage to kick start the biological processes that will break down the waste from the 1,200 units in the community.

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Following a report by the Beijing Games organizers and the IOC chief inspector Hein Verbruggen, the IOC said work was still needed to improve air quality in the Chinese capital. “Yes it is a specific concern,” IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Gilbert Felli said, citing recent complaints by athletes who competed in Beijing, and other officials.

“The important thing for us is to understand exactly what it is…and to understand what it will be at the time of the Games,” he said. Earlier Verbruggen told reporters environmental pollution was an issue that needed to be addressed.

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