Government Resources

USGBC is committed to supporting federal, state and local governments in their pursuit and development of green building programs and initiatives. Here, governments have access to best practices, lessons learned and other initiatives already in place across the country.

Various LEED initiatives including legislation, executive orders, resolutions, ordinances, policies, and initiatives are found in 45 states, including 202 localities (138 cities, 36 counties, and 28 towns), 34 state governments (including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico), 14 federal agencies or departments, 17 public school jurisdictions, and 41 institutions of higher education across the United States. (12/01/09) See the full list.

Government owned or occupied LEED buildings make up 29% of all LEED projects. The federal government has 187 certified projects and another 3138 pursuing certification.  State governments have 336 certified projects and 1961 pursuing certification.  Local governments have 475 certified projects and 3094 pursuing certification. (1/13/10)

Featured Highlight

Green Buildings for Cool Cities: A Guide For Advocating For Local Green Building Policies

U.S. Green Building Council has partnered with the Sierra Club's Cool Cities Campaign to connect USGBC's nearly 80 chapters with the more than 200 local Cool Cities campaigns to encourage the adoption of effective, tried-and-tested green building policies at the local level. An important tool in this joint effort is the joint policy recommendations guide. Join us by connecting with your local USGBC chapter and your local Cool Cities campaign.
Learn more about the partnership »
Download the Local Policy Guide »

GREEN ECONOMY
Green Economic Recovery Resources
Opportunities for green building following the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
DEVELOP A Green Building ProgramRoadmap to Sustainable Government Buildings
A forum for sharing and developing peer resources for Government green building programs.
IMPLEMENT the LEED Rating System
LEED for Government
Resources for implementing LEED in the Government Sector. Find case studies and research. Learn about the USGBC Portfolio Program.
CONNECT to the Government Community
Community
Link to the USGBC Government Community. Find peer-to-peer forums and volunteer working groups.
DISCOVER Innovative Policy Solutions
Public Policy and Advocacy
Search the Public Policy Database; Learn about public policies that affect green building, successful government initiatives and incentives on green building.  Help keep USGBC up-to-date on policies in your area. Send us your updates at publicpolicy@usgbc.org
MEASURE Sustainability
STAR Community Index
A national, consensus-based framework for gauging the sustainability and livability of U.S. communities.