Our Vision:

The Green Building Council of Montenegro (GBC ME) will be recognised as the prime organisation supporting Montenegro as an Ecological State in the development, design and construction of its built environment preserving itsnatural resources.

Our Mission:

The Green Building Council of Montenegro (GBC ME) will lead and educate society to create a balance between the ecological objectives of Montenegro, its citizens and the need for sustainable building and development, establishing a responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life for future generations.

Founding Members:

1. History

The concept for a Montenegro GBC was initiated by Erin Inglish and Milovan Novaković of Colliers (one of the largest international property consultants) under the auspices of Ljubiša Perović, then Head of the Office for Sustainable Development, at a meeting in November 2008. A retired British couple, James and Anke Collins, who are planning the first Passive House in Montenegro, were recruited by Erin Inglish in the Spring of 2009 and the others made James Chairman of a small voluntary Initiating Group. Since then, the dozen or so IG members built the basis of the GBC which was registered as a non-profit organisation on 20 December 2010. It has 12 Board members, 8 Montenegrins and 4 internationals living in the country.

We signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government Office for Sustainable Development on 01 March 2011. The OSD has been a strong supporter of the GBC, and given its task of developing and monitoring government strategy for sustainable development is an ideal partner.

In a meeting with the Minister for Sustainable Development and Tourism, HE Predrag Sekulić, in mid April 2011 to discuss future cooperation and a Memorandum of Understanding, the Minister offered to launch the GBC when he opened an Ecology Fair the following week. The Montenegro Green Building Council (GBCME) was formally launched on 20 April 2011.

2. Founding Members

Apart from Colliers International, whose concept the GBC was and whose General Manager in Montenegro Milovan Novaković is mentioned above, Porto Montenegro in Tivat, the largest development in the country if not the whole Mediterranean, has been highly supportive. The government’s Office for Sustainable Development has maintained its strong support and, although not a formal member because of government rules, has signed a MoU with GBC ME. Energy efficiency and environmental protection are high priorities among UNDP’s projects, and it too joined as a Founder Member.

Many in the Initiating Group, which converted into the (voluntary unpaid) Board on registration, have their own businesses which are included in the Founding Members: Blenheim Creative Consulting (Amy Lane); Crosswind Power, Misa Boškov Adzić; Eco House Risan (James and Anke Collins); Montenegro Property Associates (Robin Gellately—Smith). Other individual members of the IG included: Saša Cvetković, architect; Jolyon Gough, chartered surveyor now with Porto Montenegro; Branko Lukovac, retired Foreign Minister and diplomat; Marija Mijušković, initially an intern at the OSD, now full-time there; Slobodan Perović, international lawyer; Irena Rajković, Masters student in the Faculty of Architecture; and Prof Dr Dušan Vuksanović, professor at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Podgorica.

Other more recent companies who joined as Founder Members are: Clarendon Group, a UK company whose services includeinter alia, treatment of ship generated liquid waste; and Geomont, a Montenegrin professional practice of surveyors and civil engineers.

Board of Governors:

James Collins – President
Robin Gellately—Smith
Slobodan Perović – Honorary Secretary
Prof Dr Dušan Vuksanović
Milutin Boškov Adzić
Anke Harris-Collins O.B.E.
Saša Cvetković
Marija Mijušković
Irena Rajković
Milovan Novaković
Omar Farid

Honorary Board member
Branko Lukovac

Committees:

Structure and Policy Committee
Chair – Robin Gellately-Smith

Membership & Marketing Committee
Chair – Anke Harris-Collins O.B.E.
Vice Chair – Milutin Boškov Adzić

Technical & Education Committee
Chair – Prof Dr Dušan Vuksanović
Member – Irena Rajković
Member – Saša Cvetković

Finance Committee
Chair – Branka Popović
Vice Chair – to be appointed

Founding Companies:

Colliers International
Porto Montenegro
UNDP in Montenegro
Clarendon Group, International
Geomont d.o.o.
Blenheim Creative Consulting
Crosswind Power
Eco House Risan
Montenegro Property Associates
NGO Ekofest

Partners:

Ministry of sustainable development and tourism, Montenegro