Thank you to everyone who followed our @USGBC twitter handle yesterday afternoon as our VP of LEED Technical Development, Brendan Owens, answered your questions on all things v4. It was an info-packed hour, full of great questions and conversation. In case you missed it, here's the full recap: Q1: When is the final LEEDv4 language expected to be public? A1: Final LEEDv4 language will be available June 1st with the opening of the ballot: usgbc.org/LEEDv4 Q2: @USGBC when will LEEDv4 reference...

Attendees returned home from their Greenbuild 2012 adventure in San Francisco with fresh ideas, valuable education, new connections, and a few momentos. But today, we’re focusing on what attendees didn’t take with them — things like coffee cups, name badges, CDs and other typical conference swag. Since 2002, USGBC's Greenbuild International Conference & Expo has been reinventing the conference and events market, helping it shed its wasteful legacy and strive for...

As a resident of Idaho’s Wood River Valley, which encompasses the cities of Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley, I have been involved with and impressed by the commitment of several local jurisdictions that have adopted above-code ordinances. As co-chair of USGBC’s Build Better Codes campaign for 2013, I am doing what I can to share my expertise and my community’s story, and also to support the many code advocacy efforts across USGBC’s chapter community. Blaine County adopted...

Many people are becoming more conscious about staying green while they travel. TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, offers a few easy tips for travelers who want to curb their carbon footprint, without sacrificing comfort, relaxation or fun! Book a nonstop flight.  The fewer planes you need to reach your destination, the lower your carbon footprint. Also, choose an airline that participates in a recycling program. Choose greener transportation.  Once you get to your...

We just wrapped up this year's Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) - the nation’s largest energy and water reduction competition - and the 300,000 students who participated have a lot to be proud of! Through efforts from students acting on their commitments to reduce energy and water use on campus, CCN 2013 participants saved 2.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, reduced their energy use by 2.1 GWh (equivalent of taking 187 homes off the grid for a year...

Trying to green the operations of all of the various buildings on a college campus can be a bit like trying to get all of your family members to go on a healthy diet and exercise program at the same time. It can be a daunting task. They have a range of ages, sizes, shapes and activities; they consume different things in different quantities and their aspirations vary widely. Some are ready for the quinoa salad and a marathon right now, while others are passionate about their red meat and haven...

LEED v4 is more than just credits and requirements. With this update, USGBC has taken a deeper look at the tools and resources that support the program. We've reached out to the marketplace for feedback on what’s working and what’s not the so we could make improvements that help these tools operate as designed. The information we’ve gathered through conversations with LEED practitioners, the LEED v4 Beta program and even in public comment periods has helped us identify ways to...

Water is a limited resource, essential for life. Just as we recognize the value of water, it is important to recognize the value of natural systems to store and maintain clean, fresh water and to sustain biodiversity and wildlife. Water Blues, Green Solutions is a Penn State Public Media initiative that combines the power of video, radio and outreach educational resources to encourage education and awareness of “green infrastructure” and the use of environmentally friendly...

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 23, 2013) – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is pleased to announce that more than 30 of the world’s most respected companies, ranging from banks and retail corporations to architecture firms and technology companies, are showing their strong commitment to green building and have joined USGBC as platinum level members. “USGBC’s platinum level members represent some of the world’s most innovative, forward-thinking corporations and...

Governments across the country are increasingly turning to “smart growth” as smart policy, and a new study reveals the dollars and cents behind these policy decisions. In Smart Growth America’s latest report, Building Better Budgets: A National Examination of the Fiscal Benefits of Smart Growth Development, SGA compiles the first national survey on the local government savings from smart growth measures.  Smart growth is encouraged in site-related credits in LEED, and...

In 106 days, Team Capitol DC will be presenting Harvest Home, an off-the-grid showcase of all things sustainable in Irvine, California for the Department of Energy’s bi-annual Solar Decathlon from Oct. 3-13. Team Capitol DC is a joint effort of the Catholic University of America (CUA), George Washington University (GW) and American University. CUA leads with architecture and design, GW covers landscape and engineering and American is on point for communications and...

Here’s our weekly collection of green building clips: New Vikings stadium unveiled, Star Tribune. Check out this slideshow of renderings for the striking LEED stadium planned for Minneapolis. LEED is changing the built world for the better, The News Journal. A LEED AP writes in the Wilmington, Del., newspaper on the transformative power of the green building rating system. NPR Has Bees on Its Roof, but Isn’t in It for the Honey, Washington City Paper. NPR’s new headquarters in...