GSA Using LEED

More Than 1,200 Businesses and Organizations Commend GSA for Using LEED to Support Innovation and Save Taxpayer Dollars

Washington, DC - (July 25, 2012) - More than 1,200 leading businesses and organizations representing a wide array of industries across all 50 states today sent a letter asking the General Services Administration (GSA) to continue to use the LEED green building rating system to advance innovation in construction and save taxpayer dollars.
The signatories commended GSA for its leadership in improving the energy and environmental performance of federal buildings, citing the recently released sustainability and energy "scorecard" from the White House's budget office. That study showed that federal government investments in energy efficiency over the last four years are expected to save as much as $18 billion in lifecycle energy costs.
"Our nation's top private-sector leaders agree: The LEED high-performance building rating system saves businesses money and helps deliver higher profits through reduced operating costs. The same is true for LEED federal facilities, which are saving American taxpayers millions of dollars a year," said Roger Platt, Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Law, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Signatories of the letter are architects, engineers, builders, contractors, designers, planners and product manufacturers. These include Skanska, Tishman Speyer, and Kohler Co., in addition to other high-profile business leaders. They lauded GSA's decision to mirror the private sector in the use of LEED certification to reduce operating costs, save money and eliminate waste. They also agreed that deviating from LEED would add cost to projects. The executives urged GSA to continue to use the LEED building rating system and to focus on the "usability, market acceptance and effectiveness of rating tools rather than distractions focused on a single issue."
"Support for the continued use of LEED by GSA is both broad and deep. Our more than 13,000 member companies are fully engaged in the development and use of LEED. Businesses and organizations are certifying 2 million square feet of real estate to LEED each day. Clearly there is incredible agreement on the value of LEED and green building in general," Platt said.
For a full list of signatories, or to view the letter, visit bit.ly/GSAletter.
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 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.

Another Green School Campus Gets Recognition

This trend is catching on and at iGreenBuild.com we love to read about higher education practicing what they preach about sustainability and green building. Naropa University recycles, uses wind power, uses eco-friendly landscaping practices, offers green transportation for its students and has undergraduate and graduate tracks in environmental studies. The mix of green school facility management and environmentally conscious student life will no doubt produce the type of business leaders and citizens the planet needs for a healthy future. Great work Naropa staff and students!
Princeton Review Recognizes Naropa University's Sustainable Leadership
in 2011 Guide to 311 Green Colleges  
BOULDER, Colo. (May 18, 2011) – Naropa University has been recognized by Princeton Review in The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges as one of 308 institutions of higher education in the United States and three in Canada that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation. 
The 220-page guide is created in partnership with the United States Green Building Council, an outstanding national nonprofit organization best-known for developing the LEED green building certification program. This past fall, USGBC launched its Center for Green Schools to increase its efforts to drive change in how campuses and schools are designed, constructed, and operated.
Naropa University was recognized as an American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signatory school, which the university joined in 2007. ACUPCC is a high-visibility effort to address global climate disruption undertaken by a network of colleges and universities that have made institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions from specified campus operations, and to promote the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth's climate.

ACUPCC's mission is to accelerate progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability by empowering the higher education sector to educate students, create solutions, and provide leadership-by-example for the rest of society.
Naropa University's Environmental Sustainability
Naropa University has long been committed to an institution-wide commitment to sustainable environmental practices. Offsetting 100% of its electricity from wind power renewable energy credits, Naropa University is committed to green practices. Naropa University's Zero Waste goal supports the university in being a sustainable system where resources are fully used and waste is reduced to a minimum, with partnerships with Eco-Cycle, on-going educational and community events, composting and weekly trash audits conducted on all Naropa campuses to assess potential waste reduction. Naropa University's other sustainable initiatives include:

• Naropa University landscapers utilize environmentally sound practices, creating a campus that is a model of efficiency.
• Recognizing the positive ecological, physical and economic benefits of alternative transportation, Naropa University provides all students and staff with an RTD Eco Pass, which offers free access to local and regional RTD buses.
• Naropa University also gives Naropa community members and visitors access to Naropa's bike fleet. At present Naropa has 120 bicycles that students have access to for free. Bicycles can be checked out for a month at a time and are maintained by Naropa's Bike Shop.
• Naropa students, staff and faculty are encouraged to participate in Boulder Car Share and receive parking and permit discounts as incentives.

With one undergraduate and three graduate study tracks in environmental career paths, Naropa University's environmental stewardship extends beyond the day-to-day approaches, to training the next generation of sustainable leaders.
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.

Local Leaders in Sustainability Report Released

ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA is proud to join The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in unveiling Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Special Report from Sundance, which outlines a five-point national action plan that local governments can utilize as a framework to develop and implement green schools initiatives. The report findings were unveiled today at the 2011 AIA National Convention in New Orleans and USGBC’s Annual Government Summit in Washington, D.C. The findings stem from insightful discussions during the Greening of America’s Schools Summit, held at the Redford Center in Sundance, Utah. “The Greening of Americas Schools Summit marked an important first step in realizing that the environmental quality of our schools is essential to our future and long-term well-being,” said Martin J. Chávez, Executive Director, ICLEI USA and three-term mayor of Albuquerque, NM. “As a result, Mayors and Superintendents came together to chart a new course toward healthy, sustainable schools where our children can grow and excel. We must now put this blueprint into action so that every child in America can attend a green school.” The major steps outlined in the five-point plan include tangible action steps and are based on the conversations that took place at Sundance and successful green schools initiatives from across the United States and include: 1) Connect with the green schools movement; 2) Engage stakeholders and raise awareness; 3) Build community support and capacity; 4) Make it happen: benchmarking, policy and financing and; 5) Celebrate success. “Through the greening of America’s schools, we have the chance to improve the health and education of our children, inspire future leaders and create a stronger America,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, USGBC. “Sundance was just the beginning. This comprehensive blueprint provides local policy makers and community members ways in which they too can accelerate green schools in their areas.” The report also provides a comprehensive review of the benefits of green schools; a summary of local, state and federal policy solutions, leadership profiles of green school advocates, and case studies from both large cities and small communities. Together, these resources serve as a roadmap on the journey to green schools. “This report should serve as a guidepost for many communities throughout the country that are looking for ways to implement green initiatives but fear the expense involved,” said AIA President Clark Manus, FAIA. “In reality, the average school is 42 years old, and energy inefficiencies cost it approximately $100,000 a year, money that could be better spent on teachers, education materials, books or computers.” The Greening of America’s Schools Summit, held in November 2010 at the Redford Center in Sundance, Utah, brought together leading mayors from across the nation and their respective schools superintendents for an insightful discussion on the importance of a greener environment and educational performance. ICLEI USA partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Redford Center, founded by Robert Redford to convene this impressive gathering of local government leaders and educators. The report can be downloaded free-of-charge from centerforgreenschools.org/actionplan. About ICLEI USA - ICLEI USA is a non-profit membership association of local governments working to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and tangible improvements in local sustainability. ICLEI USA supports its more than 600 member local governments by providing networking opportunities, tools, resources, and programmatic support focused on climate protection and sustainable development. More information at www.icleiusa.org About the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council - The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is how USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation. From the kindergartner entering the classroom, to the Ph.D. student performing researching in a lab, the Center provides the resources and support to elevate dialogue, accelerate policy and institute innovation toward green schools and campuses. Thanks in part to generous support from founding sponsor United Technologies Corporation, the Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to live and learn, work and play. More information at www.centerforgreenschools.org About The American Institute of Architects - For over 150 years, members of the American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. Members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct to ensure the highest standards in professional practice. Embracing their responsibility to serve society, AIA members engage civic and government leaders and the public in helping find needed solutions to pressing issues facing our communities, institutions, nation and world. Visit www.aia.org

 

U.S. Green Building Council, Orange County Opens Sponsorship and Membership Opportunities to Orange County Organizations and Individuals

The USGBC Orange County Chapter is accepting new sponsors to join their existing slate of high-profile sponsors who support the organization as well as sustainable practices and green building in Orange County.Existing sponsors include a wide range of organizations including the Montage Hotel, Chapman University, the City of Irvine, RBF Consulting, Glumac, ASLA, Dunn Edwards, Fireman’s Fund Insurance, Gensler, LPA, The Campsite, Pella, MWDOC, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, Pro Repro, CTG, Fuscoe and over one hundred additional companies and organizations.Sponsorships begin at $250 and provide sponsors with a host of benefits.

In addition, membership is now open for individuals to join the organization for a cost of $50.00 per year if your employer is a member of USGBC National or $75.00 per year if you are not affiliated with the national organization.
 
Upcoming events for USGBC-OC include Live: Energy Monitoring and Management on March 24 at 11:45 at Audio Visions in Lake Forest (also a webcast); the Municipal Green Building Conference at the Gas Company in Downey on April 14, 2011; and an Existing Building Operation and Maintenance Technical Symposium at the former Taco Bell Headquarters Gold Certified green building on May 25 at 5:30 p.m. The Orange County group will also be sponsoring the greening of the Newport Beach Film Festival, beginning on April 28^th and running through May 7^th.
 
The USGBC-OC’s mission is to engage all green building stakeholders and be the conduit of change for a more sustainable Orange County.The chapter provides communication, education, resources and advocacy.The group also provides networking opportunities, continuing education for LEED credential programs, leadership opportunities, and a rich knowledge base of sustainable and green practices and programs. Speakers from the within the USGBC organization are available to visit businesses, organizations and agencies to present a number of educational programs and green building/sustainable design information.

Wellmark Building Receives LEED® Platinum Environmental Rating

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s corporate office in Des Moines has received LEED^® Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which makes it the only LEED Platinum certified office building of its size in the world.

“Achieving LEED Platinum is a tremendous accomplishment for both Wellmark and the entire state of Iowa. Companies like Wellmark that achieve LEED certification prove that there is good reason to build to this level of energy efficiency,” says Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad. “Wellmark’s headquarters is a comfortable and efficient building, and a welcome addition to the landscape. LEED certified buildings represent a significant economic development opportunity for Iowa workers and companies.”

“At a time when health care costs continue to rise, which results in higher premiums for our members, it is a business imperative to continue to manage and reduce administrative expenses. Our building was designed from the start to lower administrative costs, be environmentally responsible, promote wellness, and improve productivity,” says John D. Forsyth, Wellmark’s Chairman and CEO. “Even more important, moving from five buildings, where we rented space, to this building, is a long-term investment that will save money for our members in the future.”

Building will pay for itself in 10 years through administrative savings
Wellmark set a goal to reduce administrative expenses by five percent on an ongoing basis, as a direct result of efficiencies gained by moving to this building.

“Cost and paybacks were heavily weighted in every decision concerning Wellmark’s building,” says Dave Southwell, Wellmark Chief Financial Officer. “Without convincing calculations to back them up, this building would not have been built. We expect the building will pay for itself in approximately 10 years. We’ve already realized $10 million in savings, which is halfway to our five percent goal.”

Estimated Environmental savings include:

• ELECTRICAL:
  • Over 20 percent savings in energy costs per year
  • Maximum daylight harvesting reduces need for artificial lighting and minimizes heat gain from lights
  • The ventilation system provides fresh air without an increase in energy use
• WATER:
  • 55 percent reduction in overall water use, saving 2.4 million gallons of drinkable water or enough to fill a bathtub 67,000 times
  • Recycled rainwater collection in the underground cistern used for irrigation of landscaping and toilet flushing
• RECYCLE / MATERIALS:
  • Moved two existing buildings from construction site to new location
  • Nearly 2.5 million pounds of construction waste was recycled and kept out of the landfill
  • Products such as carpet, chairs and furniture are made from recycled materials, or from elements that are recyclable
  • 40 percent less copy and fax machines. Saving 800 boxes of paper (an entire truckload), 200 toner cartridges and $200,000 per year

A win for the community
LEED Platinum certification is a community-wide effort that required multiple groups to unite toward a common goal. Wellmark’s positive working relationships with the state, the city, and the construction team played a major role in the building’s success. Receiving Platinum certification is a tribute to over 1100 construction trade workers, contractors and architects who made it a reality.
“Wellmark’s headquarters is a great example of how businesses and the city can work together to create a win for the entire community,” says Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie. “We’re pleased Wellmark chose to stay in downtown Des Moines, and thrilled their facility has achieved the highest environmental standards.
“The Central Iowa Building and Construction Trade Council – comprised of 19 affiliated trade unions representing over 5000 skilled tradesman throughout Central Iowa – appreciated the opportunity to showcase our craftsmanship in this landmark facility,” says Robert Gilmore, Secretary Treasurer of the Council. “This project put food on the table for many local families in a rough economy, and we hope it’s just the beginning of a green revolution in Iowa construction.”
What does it mean to be “LEED certified?”
To gauge just how "green" organizations' buildings are, USGBC established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) green building certification program, which provides a third-party tool for validating a construction project’s green features, while also verifying that a structure is operating as efficiently as possible based on its design.
LEED designation works on a point system where projects earn points for satisfying specific green building criteria that fall into one of six categories:

• Sustainable sites
• Water efficiency
• Energy and atmosphere
• Materials and resources
• Indoor environmental quality
• Innovation in Design

The number of points a project earns determines the level of LEED certification the project receives. The four levels are Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Wellmark earned all of its submitted points to attain Platinum status.

List of Top 10 States for LEED Green Buildings Released

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) today released its 2010 list of top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, based on the U.S. 2010 Census information. The District of Columbia leads the nation, with 25 square feet of LEED-certified space per person in 2010, with Nevada being the leading state, with 10.92 square feet per person in 2010.

Other top states include New Mexico and New Hampshire and Oregon with more than 6 and 4 square feet of LEED-certified space per person, respectively.

“Using per capita, versus the more traditional numbers of projects, or pure square footage, is a reminder to all of us that the people who live and work, learn and play in buildings should be what we care about most,” said USGBC SVP of LEED, Scot Horst. “2010 was a difficult year for most of the building industry, but in many areas, the hunger for sustainable development kept the markets moving.”

The top LEED states per capita, including the District of Columbia:

• District of Columbia: 25.15 sf 
• Nevada: 10.92 sf 
• New Mexico: 6.35 sf 
• New Hampshire: 4.49 sf
• Oregon: 4.07 sf
• South Carolina: 3.19 sf
• Washington: 3.16 sf 
• Illinois: 3.09 sf
• Arkansas: 2.9 sf 
• Colorado: 2.85 sf 
• Minnesota: 2.77 sf

USGBC’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings. Over 40,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 7.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 117 countries. In addition, nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 45,000 more homes registered.

Notable newly certified projects in 2010 include the Frito Lay manufacturing site in Jonesboro, Ark.; the Wells Fargo Center in Denver, Colo.; the two International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters buildings in downtown Washington, D.C, which earned LEED Gold for the operations and maintenance of an existing building ; Parc Huron multi-use residential property in Chicago, Ill.; the Edina Crosstown Medical Building in Edina, Minn.; Barcelona Elementary School in Albuquerque, N.M.; Centennial Hills Library in Las Vegas, Nev.; The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Ore.; KPMG: Greenville in S.C.; and multiple fire stations and the Bank of America Fifth Avenue Plaza in Seattle, Wash.Of the projects represented on the list, the most-common project type was commercial office and the most-common owner type was for-profit organization. The cities most represented in the list were Chicago and Washington, D.C.

For the full list of LEED-certified projects visit: https://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=8784 ###

U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 162,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads a diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings. Over 40,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 7.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 117 countries. In addition, nearly 10,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 45,000 more homes registered.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.

Procter & Gamble Pledges to Pursue LEED Certification for All New Sites Globally

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) today announces its commitment to pursue LEED certification for all new sites.  P&G's Taicang plant in China – which is breaking ground today – is the first P&G manufacturing site to pursue LEED certification, with several additional new P&G sites currently working toward the same distinction globally.

"Pursuing LEED certification for all new sites including offices, innovation centers, and our manufacturing and distribution centers is the next evolution in our facility eco-design process that will ensure excellence in sustainable design," said Keith Harrison, P&G global product supply officer. "Having all of our new sites LEED certified will help us make progress toward our long-term sustainability vision which includes powering our plants with 100% renewable energy and zero manufacturing waste to landfill."

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.  

"LEED certified green buildings contribute to saving energy, water and money," said Doug Gatlin, Vice President, U.S. Green Building Council. "P&G pursuing LEED certification represents a firm commitment to improving our environment for future generations."

The Taicang plant, the first P&G site to register for LEED certification, features notable environmental aspects such as:

• Water: Maximizing beneficial water re-use while minimizing water consumption through efforts such as recovering steam condensate for domestic water needs and harvesting rainwater to replenish on-site landscaping water.  
• Energy :Features an outdoor lighting system powered by a combination of solar energy and use of high efficiency mechanical equipment.
• Waste: Operational design to maximize waste recycling and ultimately achieve zero waste to landfill.

All new P&G sites, including those in the U.S., that are currently in design phase or early construction are working toward achieving LEED certification.  In countries where equivalent programs are available, P&G is also committing to meet all local certification standards.  This effort amplifies P&G's approach to ensure holistic end-to-end sustainability considerations, including P&G's environmental supplier scorecard.

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.  For more information on P&G's commitment to sustainability, visit: www.pg.com/sustainability.

Gen. Colin Powell's Speech at GreenBuild Now Available On-Line

General Colin Powell delivered an inspiring speech at the USGBC's Green Build Conference and Expo in Chicago yesterday. Powell, a former Secretary of State and Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of staff addressed an audience of over 10,000 people at the annual green building event.

“Leadership has to be passionate. Each person involved must believe they have a purpose,”  said Powell.

In addition to Powell's keynote, the morning session included a discussion between political pundits and husband and wife Mary Matalin and James Carville. USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi also addressed the group.
According to Fedrizzi, “The leadership of the green building community is at the heart of Greenbuild,” said Fedrizzi. “This year us all about Generation Green: Redefining Our Future – and today, I see that we are collectively the most important catalysts for the change that will result in the greatest consumer, cultural and market revolution in America."
"Together we deliver through the built environment immediate and measurable improvements in our overall quality of life,” Fedrizzi added.

If you were not at Green Build, you can watch the speech from the USGBC site.
To view Powell's speech, click here.

Proposed LEED Update Open For Public Comment

Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) opened up the proposed update to the LEED green building rating system for its first public comment. The public comment period, which will close on December 31, 2010, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and the on-going development cycle of the LEED program.

“Continuous improvement of LEED is in the DNA of USGBC and its regular evolution is necessary to continue to move market transformation forward.” said Scot Horst, Senior Vice President of LEED, USGBC. “As green building expertise advances and practice evolves, so does LEED, providing innovative solutions to the challenges and opportunities in the building industry. LEED continues to be the catalyst for immediate and measureable improvement.”

The proposed update builds on the foundation of LEED 2009, including the alignment and weighting of credits and further advances the “bookshelf” framework where credits are applied to specific building types. In addition to the continued evolution of ideas, many of which were first captured even as LEED 2009 was being finalized, the draft of LEED that is opening for public comment places increased emphasis on integrated process and building performance.

“Additionally USGBC is enhancing the process we use to collect and respond to stakeholder feedback on the ideas presented in the public comment drafts of LEED,” added Horst.

Besides the usual public comment web pages at www.usgbc.org, USGBC will also take feedback from projects testing pilot credits, use input from the from a moderated forum dedicated to discussing evolution of LEED, and comments from various webinars that will be held with key stakeholders. USGBC intends for this public comment process to be much more generative in nature, and expects a wide-ranging dialog throughout the process.

USGBC will be holding a webcast for media to learn more on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010, at 3 p.m. EST.

To participate:

1. Go to

https://usgbc.webex.com/usgbc/j.php?ED=126900487&UID=1092117517&PW=NMmNmMTI2MzQz&RT=

MiMxMQ%3D%3D

2. If requested, enter your name and e-mail address.

3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: Building10

4. Click "Join".

-------------------------------------------------------

To join the audio conference only

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Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 1-866-469-3239; Access code: 757 604 841

U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 16,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system has transformed commercial and residential building practices by providing the leading tool to create buildings that are environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous. Over 36,000 commercial projects are currently participating in LEED rating systems for the design, construction and operation of green buildings, comprising over 7.1 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. In addition, some 8,000 homes have been certified under the LEED for Homes rating system, with nearly 30,000 more homes registered. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

Read More

Gen. Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) to Give Keynote Address at the Greenbuild Conference

The U.S. Green Building Council announced that former Secretary of State and retired Gen. Colin L. Powell will give the keynote address at USGBC’s annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo being held Nov.17-19, 2010, in Chicago, Ill.

“General Powell has made another career of sharing his lessons of leadership.” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “His keen insights and global perspective are especially relevant to our movement in these times of great challenge and change. He exemplifies that leadership is about more than a title: It’s about taking charge during times of great crisis.”

General Powell is a retired four-star general. He previously served as National Security Advisor under President Ronald Regan and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed General Powell to be Secretary of State, a position he held until 2005. In addition, for the past decade, General Powell has committed his time, energy and leadership to improving the lives of America’s young people as founding Chairman of America’s Promise Alliance — an organization that works with over 400 partner organizations to provide
needed resources that build better lives for America’s youth.

General Powell has demonstrated his exemplary leadership through his public service and private life. He has broken racial barriers as the first African-American Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He has received several distinguished military and civilian honors including two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and the Soldier’s Medal. General Powell also founded the Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies at his alma mater, the City College of New York and has served on the boards of various non-profits.

As a sign of General Powell’s wide-ranging leadership and the powerful message he will bring as Greenbuild’s opening keynote speaker, a LEED Platinum affordable housing building in his childhood neighborhood bears his name. The General Colin L. Powell Apartments in the South Bronx, N.Y., is a cutting-edge 50-unit multifamily project resulting from a partnership between Habitat for Humanity-New York City and Blue Sea Development. General Powell participated in the LEED certification ceremony.

In addition to General Powell’s keynote address, Greenbuild 2010 will feature an array of inspiring speakers and more than 100 education sessions and the world's largest exhibit hall devoted to green building with over 900 exhibiting companies with over 1,800 booths showcasing the latest in innovative, cutting-edge products and services

For more information, visit http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/.

USGBC Celebrates Five Years of Green Building, Economic & Educational Progress in New Orleans

(Make It Right activist and actor Brad Pitt, left, and USGBC President, Rick Fedrizzi, right) presented a LEED Platinum plaque to Make It Right homeowner Deidre Taylo and her children, during a Clinton Global Initiative event in Sept. 2009 (Photo: Business Wire)

Five years after the devastating hurricanes that ravaged New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast, many organizations have stepped in to help rebuild the city, placing emphasis on resilience, sustainability and economic prosperity. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the driving force of the green building industry in America, has also made rebuilding New Orleans green a key priority. Through USGBC’s LEED green building certification program, hundreds of homes, schools and commercial buildings are being rebuilt to be high-performance, resource-efficient, durable and healthier places for the people of New Orleans who occupy them. Below is a report of USGBC’s efforts since 2005.

USGBC’s Notable Accomplishments:


USGBC embedded an expert in the Recovery School District to work with all schools on rebuilding green.

All public schools built to minimum LEED Silver Certification.

Green movie studio in the Lower Garden District will be LEED Silver.

Make It Right has built the largest community of LEED Platinum homes in the world.

Salvation Army’s EnviRenew is building and repairing 250 homes in five New Orleans neighborhoods to be green and energy efficient.

USGBC and EnviRenew’s Natural Talent Design Competition will build four LEED Platinum homes in the Broadmoor neighborhood.

Preservation Resource Center (PRC) and the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED) will be opening a new LEED Platinum community center/headquarters in the Holy Cross neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward.

Working with USGBC, several groups in the city are training workers to rebuild the city better and greener: LA Greencorps, Good Work Network, Electrician’s Union, Delgado Community College, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice

USGBC in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

Since the devastating hurricanes and subsequent floods that ravaged New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region in 2005, USGBC has been on the ground there, developing strategies for rebuilding even as the flood waters began receding. At its 2005 Greenbuild Conference in Atlanta, just weeks after the hurricanes came through, USGBC convened 160 participants, including many New Orleans residents, USGBC chapter members and other leading experts in planning, environmental engineering and architecture, in a planning charrette.

The outcome was the New Orleans Principles, a roadmap and specific action plans for the re-planning and rebuilding efforts, with the intent of enhancing environmental, social, and economic outcomes. To ensure the principles became actions, USGBC created the position of “New Orleans Green Building Coordinator” to facilitate and execute the strategy on the ground. For more than two years, Anisa Baldwin Metzger has been on the ground, working with the Recovery School District and has become a nationally recognized leader in translating green building strategies into real world results. USGBC’s Louisiana Chapter has been a driving force for keeping sustainability at the forefront of rebuilding efforts.

The New Orleans Principles

1. Respect the rights of all citizens of New Orleans.

2. Restore natural protections of the greater New Orleans region.

3. Implement an inclusive planning process.

4. Value diversity in New Orleans.

5. Protect the city of New Orleans.

6. Embrace smart redevelopment.

7. Honor the past; build for the future.

8. Provide for passive survivability.

9. Foster locally owned, sustainable businesses.

10. Focus on the long term.

The Road to Educational Recovery

Chief among the action plans was a strong commitment to ensuring the schools are not only rebuilt, but are built to LEED Silver– so that every child within the school system could attend classes in safe, structurally sound and resilient facilities that enhanced the goals of learning. Before Hurricane Katrina:

There were 439 buildings on 127 active public school campuses, serving 63,000 students.

Virtually all of that space was substandard - parents chose where to send their children based on how “less bad” the bathrooms were.

Then Katrina hit, and more than 80-percent of those buildings had more than 25-percent damage. With children to educate immediately, the first initiative off the drawing board was Quick Start, a community process that had the goal of building one new school in each of the five city council districts in New Orleans.

Quick Start Schools: Langston Hughes Elementary, Wilson Elementary, Lake Area High School, Landry High School and Fannie C. Williams.

Each school is LEED Silver and will reduce energy use by 30-percent.

The first of those schools opened in August, 2009, with double-digit increases in test scores just in the past school year.

When phase one of the master plan is completed in 2013, there will be 17 new and 13 renovated LEED schools.

“Make It Right” with Affordable, Durable, Sustainable Homes

The Red Cross estimates Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed more than 350,000 homes.

An additional 146,000 had major damage.

Overall, 850,791 housing units were damaged or destroyed.

The number of homes destroyed equals about 17-percent of annual home construction.

Among the many organizations that stepped forward, Make It Right has taken on the challenge of providing New Orleans residents with quality, affordable homes. Make It Right devoted itself to the rebuilding and restoration of the debilitated communities in ways that honor the past, but build in the advancements and practices that define today’s green buildings – energy efficiency, water efficiency, improved indoor air quality, more daylight.

USGBC worked closely with Make It Right providing sustainable design expertise in the building of:

50 Platinum LEED homes built in the Lower Ninth Ward that now house 179 people with 100 more LEED Platinum homes underway.

It’s the largest community of LEED Platinum homes in the world.

Designed to be high-performing and energy efficient.

Make It Right LEED homes are built to use only 1/3 of the energy that would be used by a comparable new home.

They are more sustainable than the homes they are replacing by a factor of 10.

Additionally, Salvation Army’s EnviRenew Initiative is building 125 new homes and renovating 125 existing homes over the next three years in five New Orleans neighborhoods. The campaign revolves around the idea that financially vulnerable individuals and families are especially in need of the benefits that green building practices provide. Healthy indoor air quality, lower utility bills, and high quality construction are vitally important for moderate and low income populations in their quest for economically prosperous lifestyles.

EnviRenew is collaborating with USGBC’s 2010 Natural Talent Design Competition, which will be held Friday, August 27, 2010 in New Orleans. Four student and emerging professional design team finalists will be chosen from more than 360 submitted designs of 800-square-foot, affordable homes designed to LEED Platinum guidelines. The winning designs will be built in the Broadmoor neighborhood. Once the ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant homes have been built and the homeowners have taken residence, the homes will enter the measurement and verification phase. The design team of the home with the best energy, water, waste and other performance metrics will be deemed the final winner and will receive their prize at the 2011 Greenbuild Conference. For more details about the Natural Talent Design Competition, visit: www.usgbc.org/designcompetition

Community-Based Environmental Sustainability

Rebuilding a disaster-stricken region not only requires the construction of new facilities, but also the maintenance of the historical preservation and integrity of existing ones. The Preservation Resource Center (PRC) of New Orleans is transforming a house of architectural and historical significance to the Lower Ninth Ward into a community center using many of the structure’s original building materials. The Holy Cross Community Center will stand as the neighborhood’s “headquarters” and is expected to be certified LEED Platinum. USGBC has also supported the Lower Ninth Ward through Historic Green, an organization that is helping to rebuild the Holy Cross neighborhood as the nation’s first zero carbon community.

USGBC’s experience in New Orleans has informed the disaster recovery assistance that its 17,000 members and 80 chapters have undertaken in response to the natural disasters that have occurred since Katrina. With tragedies such as the devastating tornadoes in Greensburg, Kansas in 2007, the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the recent oil spill in the Gulf Coast, the imperative to make all buildings sustainable, durable and resource efficient is critical – not solely in disaster-stricken areas, but everywhere.

U.S. Green Building Council

The USGBC community is transforming the way we build, design and operate our buildings and communities, leading to healthier, more resource-efficient places where people can live, work, learn and play. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Council is the driving force of the green building industry, which is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product by 2013. USGBC leads a diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials, concerned citizens, teachers and students. The USGBC community comprises 80 local chapters, 17,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 150,000 individuals who have earned LEED Professional Credentials. Visit www.usgbc.org for more information.

PNC Bank Adds Seven LEED(TM)-Certified Green Buildings; Raises Total to 8

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has certified seven more Green Branch(R) locations of PNC Bank based on environmentally friendly construction and design, boosting its total to 84 LEED(TM)-certified green buildings.

In 2002 PNC became the first major U.S. bank to design and build environmentally friendly LEED-certified bank branches in the United States and has more newly constructed certified green buildings than any company on Earth.

PNC (NYSE: PNC) is the only bank permitted to use the term Green Branch(R) based on the registered trademark granted by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The trademark is affirmation of PNC's leadership and commitment to green business practices.

"We have continued to evolve our innovative approach to eco-friendly business practices and we have momentum with 30 additional locations awaiting certification by the USGBC," said Gary Saulson, PNC's director of corporate real estate.

The bank's prototype Green Branch(R) features include:

- Materials: more than 50 percent of the branch is locally manufactured or made from recycled or green materials.

- Energy & Water Efficiency: energy usage is reduced 35 percent or more compared to a traditional branch; water usage is reduced by 4,000 gallons a year and window walls are three times more efficient than code.

- Pollution Control: construction waste is recycled or salvaged and the cooling system is designed to protect the ozone.

The newly certified Green Branch(R) locations are in three states. All 84 (81 for new construction and three for interiors) certified locations can be found via www.pnc.com/green.

Pennsylvania Newtown - Newtown II, 2500 South Eagle Road Yardley - Octagon Center, 91 Oxford Valley Road Bethlehem - Plaza on Eighth, 1481 Eighth Ave.

Virginia Fredericksburg - Celebrate Virginia South, 1001 Gordon W. Shelton Blvd. Woodbridge - Potomac Town Center, 14910 Diamond View Way Centreville - Sully Station, 5321 Westfields Blvd.

New Jersey East Windsor - East Windsor, 440 Route 130

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.

AIA and USGBC Announce Plans For Collaboration

The The American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Green Building Council recently announced plans for collaboration between the two organizations. The following a a joint letter released by the two organizations detailing the relationship.

Last year, the boards of The American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Green Building Council established a Joint Task Force to explore how our organizations could work more closely together to advance our respective missions and give stronger voice to our shared values. The desire to use our interdependence as a catalyst for stronger collaboration was the platform from which a strategic framework for this effort was developed.

We offer a special note of gratitude for the leadership of the Joint Task Force co-chairs Gail Vittori, Immediate Past Board Chair, U.S. Green Building Council, and Clark Manus, FAIA, 2010 AIA First Vice President / 2011 President, The American Institute of Architects, who helped us identify opportunities where collaboration would yield the greatest benefit in advancing the mission of a more sustainable built environment.

In January, our senior staffs met to define a three-year action plan that includes: Collaboration around Haiti Relief: Both organizations and our members have significant expertise to offer Haiti as it begins to rebuild. Our ongoing collaboration will help inform how to proceed and how, together, we can best respond to future disasters.

Unified Sustainability Advocacy Agenda: In each of the next three years, we will develop a joint advocacy and communications plan that can be championed in conjunction with the President’s State of the Union address, including development of “issue briefs” as well as ongoing joint action on other topics of common concern, such as green affordable housing, green schools, and green healthcare facilities.

Coordinated Educational Activity: The action plan addresses the need to expand the market’s capacity to implement sustainable design practices. As such, we are moving quickly toward “reciprocal credit” for educational sessions that support each group’s credentials, the creation of a joint speakers registry, providing links to each other’s education web pages related to sustainable design, creating a common calendar, and jointly utilizing AIA’s upcoming 2010 convention in Miami as well as USGBC’s 2010 Greenbuild in Chicago as educational platforms.

As a note of progress on this effort, we are pleased to share that 107 LU/HSW/SD hours from 64
courses on sustainable design being offered at the AIA Convention in Miami are approved for
credit towards maintaining the LEED Green Associate and LEED AP specialty credentials.

Coordinated Research Opportunities: Identifying and jointly soliciting funding for research of
interest that supports our common agenda is another key action area.

Underpinning all of the specifics of the action plan is recognition of the importance of open and
ongoing communications in support of this collaborative initiative. And, to that end, we anticipate
making brief appearances at each other’s Board meetings and holding an annual joint
leadership meeting to report on our progress and discuss other strategic opportunities. These
more formal initiatives will be augmented by ongoing work between our staffs on each of the
action items.

Also, we will look for ways to highlight our collaboration with external audiences through joint
announcements and statements in newsletters, on web sites, and in other visible ways.

Both organizations are significantly strengthened through this focused collaboration and we
believe that working together advances both of our missions. We’re very excited about this new
initiative, and look forward to sharing with you the fruits of our positive engagement.