Posted: May 15, 2008
May 15, 2008 (Washington, DC) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) testified yesterday before the U.S. Congress about the importance of green buildings as a solution for global climate change, one of the biggest challenges facing society today.
Michelle Moore, Senior Vice President, Policy and Public Affairs for USGBC, spoke before Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, and detailed the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, economy and health and productivity of building users. Moore’s testimony stressed the importance of green building practices not only in new construction but through smart retrofit of existing building stock, with a focus on schools, and the role that the LEED Green Building certification program plays in driving the reduction of energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
“Buildings are the single largest contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, accounting for 39% of emissions in the U.S. Of those buildings, school buildings represent the largest construction sector in the country and 20% of America goes to school every day,” said Moore. “It’s fundamental to promote the design and construction of green schools, which play a tremendous role in bettering the health and performance of our students and children. Every new building coming out of the ground today should built green and every existing building should be retrofitted, whether it is an office building, a school or your own home. Buildings offer an immediate, measureable solution for mitigating climate change - and we don’t have time to wait. ”
Moore joined actor Ed Norton and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom at the Select Committee Hearing. Norton is a Trustee for the Enterprise Foundation, USGBC’s partner to promote green affordable housing within the LEED for Homes Rating System.
Governments at all levels have been highly influential in the growth of green building, both by requiring LEED for their own buildings and by creating incentives for LEED for the private sector. Currently, 12 federal agencies or departments, 28 states, 120+ local governments, 12 public school jurisdictions and 36 higher education institutions have made policy commitments to use or encourage LEED.
Photos available. Please contact akatz@usgbc.org for more information.
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About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization whose vision is a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. Since USGBC’s founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 15,000 member companies and organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building rating systems, an expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org), and a network of 74 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About LEED®
The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building certification program is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories of review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core & shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities. LEED for Healthcare is currently under development and is expected to be released in early 2008.