Marija Golubovic, president of Green Building Council and director of Energo - Starting green wave in construction industry

Marija Golubovic (Photo: lična arhiva)

President of the Green Building Council of Serbia and the director of Energo, Serbia`s leading company in green building and sustainable design certification, has recently received a significant award. She was named a "Mover and Shaker" in green building on the global level by the World Green Building Council.

This award for special contribution to the promotion and implementation of green building ideas came as a result of all the activities done by the Green Building Council of Serbia since November 2010, when it was formed, including an extremely successful organization of the Green Building Trade Fair and Conference, which were held in Belgrade in February this year.

In an interview published on the website of the World Green Building Council, Marija Goluboci spoke about her motives for accepting the role of the president of the national GBC, plans and objectives of this organization, her professional experience and personal and business principles.

Why did you join the Green Building Council?

- I recognized the need for a change in the construction industry in Serbia, and not only in Serbia. The Green Building Council is a well-organized and powerful structure on the global level. I sensed it was something I must do as a participant professionally and morally involved in the construction business, and that I must put effort, time and passion into making our country part of this project.

(Photo: lična arhiva)

What was your first job?

- I was a HVAC system designer at Energoprojekt, one of the leading Serbian companies in power plant project design, contracting and implementation.

What do you consider the greatest achievement of the Green Building Council of Serbia?

- That is, definitely, the first Green Building Trade Fair and Conference, which we organized in Serbia in February. I was surprised by the interest and number of participants, delegates, exhibitors and media companies. That was a real celebration of the green movement in Serbia. It meant a lot to me because it was a proof that we had done so much in the previous year.

What is the best advice you've ever got?

- It is the advice I received from Mr. Jerry Yudelson, a great green building teacher and, primarily, a brilliant person. When asked "How to explain to people that it is important to get familiar with the buildings they live in and make them better?", he said: "Tell them that they can find more information about oat flakes on the box they buy than about the building they live in anywhere."

When will you know that you have succeeded in that?

- When people stop asking us "What is a green building?" and, more importantly, when we get the first official reports on a significant reduction of both carbon-dioxide emission and drinking water consumption in Serbia.