Green Buildings and the Future of Urban DevelopmentThe fourth conference of the Local Renewables series will focus on “Green Buildings and the Future of Sustainable Urban Development”. Organised by ICLEI and hosted by the City of Freiburg (Germany) from 27-28 October 2011, the conference will look at the evolving role of renewable energy in sustainable buildings, both from a technological and city development point of view.Buildings make up 40 percent of the energy used in the European Union and account for 36 percent of Europe’s CO2 emissions. Hence, the building sector plays a key role in combating climate change and offers local governments an excellent opportunity to meet their climate targets. First ideas for discussions in workshops and panels include:The potential of energy efficient buildings and challenges aheadCost-optimality – Does the concept lead to a sub-optimal energy performance requirements?The potential of energy savings in Public and Private BuildingsThe Potential of energy savings in New Buildings and Existing Buildings. Should urban planning focus on renovating existing buildings?Future Perspectives for Energy Efficient Buildings