SOFIA, BULGARIA-Commercial real estate professionals andgovernment officials are pushing aggressively to implement greenbuilding standards in new construction throughout Bulgaria,according to Colliers International, which recently sponsored across-border conference here to assess sustainable developmenttrends in Central and Eastern European. The event attracted severalhundred attendees, including senior corporate figures from bothBulgarian and multinational companies angling to do business in theemerging country.

“It is necessary to build a common vision,” Colliers officialGergana Grancharova said in her remarks to the audience, adding shebelieves that the introduction of modern construction standardsthroughout Europe by 2011 will hasten the changes. Grancharova saysenvironmental design tenets are being incorporated into thoserevisions to fulfill green goals. “The time is right for theBulgarian real estate sector to focus on sustainable development,”she said.