The National Centre for International Research of Low-carbon and Green Buildings and The Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments (“The Centre” below) were established and led by Chongqing University (CQU) in association with nine top universities and research institutions including the University of Cambridge, University of Reading, University of Bristol, University College London, Loughborough University, Cardiff University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, and Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory. Later, the Centre extended collaboration with a number of institutions including Aalto University, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University of Cincinnati, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, Hong Kong University, World Renewable Energy Network (WREN), Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Building Research Establishment (BRE), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Peking University, Tsinghua University, China Academy of Building Research, and China Green Building Council, and many more.

Professor Baizhan Li from Chongqing University established the Centre in 2003. In 2012, the Centre was identified as a National Centre for joint international research by the Ministry of Science and Technology; in 2014, the Centre was approved by China Green Building Council as Southwest Green Building Centre; in 2015, the establishment of the Joint International Research Laboratory of Green Buildings and Built Environments was approved by the Ministry of Education. Since 2015, the Centre has set up overseas bases at University College London, University of Cambridge, University of Reading, Imperial College London, Aalto University, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The Centre has four full-time Fellows of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, eight Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Member of the National Academy of Sciences and Fellow of the Japanese Academy of Engineering, as well as a number of young talents. The Centre has three research directions in green building and built environments: Green Building Performance Improvement and Low-Carbon Indoor Environment, Construction Safety and Green Construction, and Urban Ecology Recovery. The work of the Centre is oriented to the strategic needs of the country and the international scientific and technological frontiers. The Centre collaborate with domestic and foreign partners to develop basic and application research, key technologies, international standards, international academic exchange activities, and talent cultivation.

The overall vision and aim of the Centre are to represent China's scientific research standard and strength in the fields of green and low-carbon buildings and environments; to develop international scientific and technological collaboration ; to gather high-level scholars and cultivate top-notch innovative talents, and to provide and maintain significant academic impacts.