WGIN History

Leaders of several national green roof organizations first
discussed the formation of an international green building technology organization in Chicago in 2003, and at subsequent green roof events in Portland (2004), Basel (2004), and Washington (2005). It was in Boston in 2006 that the first steps towards a legally chartered organization were taken.

The following year, 2007, at the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
"Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities" Conference in
Minneapolis, WGIN held it's first official meeting. Germany's
Manfred Köhler was named chairperson, and North America's Steven Peck accepted responsibility for ongoing formal activities to move the organization forward. With all legal aspects of the organization settled by 2008, active membership was pursued at the GRHC Conference in Baltimore, and six organizations from seven nations came on board as Founding Members of WGIN. Given the rapid growth in the green roofs, walls and infrastructure industry, WGIN targets strong organizational growth over the next several years. It is a challenging world, and green building technology is one solution to tackling the impacts of climate change that effect us all. WGIN believes cooperative effort is needed to work for a better, greener and more sustainable world.

As a decision on the board meeting in Toronto in autumn 2009, the name was changed to WGIN. Reason: Green roofs are one important symbol of the organization. But "Green infrastructure" includes all plant related technologies in connection to buildings. "Vegetation" is the one key for better urban environment. Also the logo was modified, just to express this idea clearly.

Who should become a member?

- WGIN is the organization of existing national Green Roof / Green infrastructure organizations. If in a country no organization exists or the organization is not interested to take the opportunity to become a member, one honourable professional person of each country can become a membership, for three year for the first.

- Second, we are happy about companies who support the work of WGIN. Corporate members should be in the professional field of green infrastructure.

 

Board member meetings 2007, 2008, 2010

Press release May 9th 2008
Press release March 28th 2008
Press release May 21th 2007
Press release December 15th 2006