Wednesday, July 18, 2012

USGBC Statement About AHPBC

LEED Is Private, Voluntary, Transparent and Democratic

Washington, DC - (July 18, 2012) - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today applauded the creation of the American High-Performance Buildings Coalition by the American Chemistry Council and others, noting that, after 20 years, it was significant that the representative groups were finally engaging in conversation about the critical importance of green, high performance buildings for America. In response to the announcement of the new coalition, Roger Platt, Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Law at USGBC released the following statement:

"We welcome the announcement of the formation of the American High Performance Building Council, but as Ronald Reagan once said, we will 'trust but verify.'

"Like the newly formed coalition, USGBC also supports the use of green building codes and standards, in addition to third party rating systems like LEED, and has proudly worked with leading code development organizations to co-release the leading mandatory green building codes.

"In the voluntary world of rating systems, LEED is transforming America's commercial real estate market, providing immediate financial benefits to building owners, operators and some of America's most admired companies through a private, voluntary, transparent and democratic process governed by the 15,000 member organizations of the USGBC.

"USGBC knows just how crucial industry participation is to high performance building success. The 1.5 million square feet per day of commercial space we certify would not be possible without the full active participation of leading architects, engineers, builders, contractors and product manufacturers.

"If this coalition is sincere in its interest to advance high-performance buildings over the status quo, we welcome them to the table and sincerely look forward to engaging together to make green buildings more valuable to Americans."

About USGBC and LEED
The U.S Green Building Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of healthy, efficient green buildings. USGBC is predominantly known for the publication of the LEED Green Building Rating System . Private sector leaders established LEED in 2000 and it has quickly become the most widely used, voluntary, market-driven building rating program in the country. LEED is largely responsible for the explosive growth of energy-efficient, high-performance construction, which supports or creates nearly eight million jobs across all 50 states and contributes $554 billion to the U.S. economy annually. 48 companies in the Fortune 100 use LEED certification to reduce operating and energy costs and to increase their bottom lines. LEED-certified buildings are also saving U.S. taxpayers tens millions of dollars every day through these same efficiencies.

USGBC is working with all stakeholders, including companies across all sectors of the building industry, to ensure that LEED remains the most widely used and accepted high performance building rating system in the country. Nearly 1,300 product manufacturers - including two dozen chemical companies and the American Chemistry Council itself - are members of the U.S. Green Building Council, which oversees LEED. Manufacturers are the third largest segment of USGBC membership, behind architects and engineering firms, and builders and contractors.

 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Greenbuild 2012 - Registration Opens

Registration Now Open for Greenbuild 2012
Award-winning green building conference and expo headed to San Francisco for biggest show in 11-year history

Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, co-hosts of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," and Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, Inc. to headline

San Francisco, Calif. - (July 17, 2012) - Registration is now open for the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Taking place this year in San Francisco, Calif. at the Moscone Center, Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. Record attendance of 35,000 is anticipated from across the green building sector, spanning commercial and residential professionals, architects, building owners and operators, students, advocates and educators.

"We are thrilled to bring the energy of Greenbuild to San Francisco, home to some of the world's leading minds in both sustainability and technology," said Kimberly Lewis, Senior Vice President, Community Advancement, Conferences and Events, USGBC. "Greenbuild is the nexus of the sustainability movement where we celebrate collective successes, share our knowledge with one another, and challenge the status quo. This year, Greenbuild is raising the bar higher than ever."

USGBC today announced that Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, co-hosts of MSNBC's weekday morning show "Morning Joe," and Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, Inc., will headline the Greenbuild opening plenary celebration, the official Greenbuild kick-off event on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

"Sustainability is everywhere, and no longer is it an option for companies and individuals to ignore their footprints," said Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, Inc. "Collectively, we can make a profound social and environmental impact. I look forward to the ensuing discussion among the innovative crowd at Greenbuild."

The announcement of Stone, Brzezinski and Scarborough at Greenbuild is the first of many Greenbuild 2012 speaker announcements to come. Previous keynote speakers have included Thomas Friedman, Cokie Roberts, Ret. Gen. Colin Powell, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Al Gore and President Bill Clinton.

Greenbuild 2012 will feature three days of networking, educational sessions, green building tours, master speakers and plenary events. The expo hall will be the biggest in Greenbuild's 11-year history, with three floors and more than 1,000 exhibitors and 2,000 booths featuring the latest technological innovations and cutting edge products. This year's show will celebrate bringing technology and sustainability together in the global green movement. For more information on Greenbuild 2012, visit greenbuildexpo.org, follow @Greenbuild on Twitter and tweet hashtag #Greenbuild to join the conversation.

About U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building certification program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and follow us on Twitter @USGBC, and Facebook at facebook.com/USGBC.

About Greenbuild
The U.S. Green Building Council's Greenbuild International Conference & Expo convenes the industry's largest gathering of representatives from all sectors of the green building movement. Three days of extensive educational programming, workshops, a vast exhibition floor and ample networking events provide unrivaled opportunities to learn about the latest technological innovations, explore new products, and exchange ideas with other professionals. Greenbuild is the three-time recipient of IMEX Green Meetings Award and the 2012 show will be held on Nov. 14-16, in San Francisco, Calif. Last year's conference in Toronto, Ontario, drew more than 23,000 attendees and featured a sold out exhibit hall floor with more than 1,700 exhibit booths. For more information, visit greenbuildexpo.org and follow us on Twitter @Greenbuild, and Facebook at facebook.com/Greenbuild.