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...

Culture has been influenced by the sporting world for decades. Throughout the 20th century, fans mobilized around athletes to oppose war, support civil rights and promote disease awareness. The sports industry today is as influential as ever, with 58 percent of Americans self-identifying as sports fans, offering a robust platform for green building education and advocacy. From Nationals Park to American Airlines Arena to Soldier Field, millions of fans visit LEED-certified sports venues every...

USGBC has released a new infographic to illustrate how the LEED green building rating system has contributed to the growth of an entire global industry devoted to creating a sustainable built environment. The infographic, “LEED in Motion: Driving the Green Building Industry,” is a visual depiction of the many facets of LEED, the voluntary, market-based program developed by USGBC that has changed the way our society thinks about buildings and their role in global...

“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe According to the 2013 World Green Building Trends Report, 28% of architects, engineers and contractors report engaging in high levels of green building activity; by 2015 this number is expected to double. As the number of green building projects increases and projects become more complex and sophisticated, it will be even more important for professionals to show current and relevant...

The first LEED Gold spring training facility is setting records! Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, spring training home to the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, set single-game attendance records this past spring. Now in its third season, the combined attendance climbed to 300,000 D-backs and Rockies fans, the third-highest ever for a two-team complex. Not only have fans been rolling in, so have the accolades. Named 2011 Ballpark of the Year, the...

Are you an energy technical solution provider wondering how you can help LEED projects achieve the new Demand Response credit?  Are you a practitioner who wants to know why air testing is valued at two points when the flush-out is valued at 1 point for the EQ: Indoor Air Quality Assessment credit? Or perhaps you're a building owner who wants to know overall how the changes in the water credit category of LEED v4 will effect your existing building's pursuit...

ECO Modern Flats is sustainable living made attainable. The project not only transformed a formerly dilapidated property, but also changed the way that people in the region think about multi-family property. “ECO Modern Flats raised the bar for what people expect of a multi-family development in Northwest Arkansas,” said Linda K. Smith, the Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council—Arkansas Chapter. “It has energy and water conservation, but also unique...

No buildings impact the health of their occupants more directly than healthcare facilities, but the existing LEED rating systems weren’t designed specifically to record and reward green medical buildings. With the first building now certified under the LEED for Healthcare (LEED-HC) rating system, the industry has its first case study in the Group Health Puyallup Medical Center. This month, Group Health Cooperative’s new medical office building in Puyallup, Wash., became the first in the nation...

Have you ever wondered what happens between the last public comment period and ballot? There are quite a few steps involved in closing the development process (when rating system changes are made based on marketplace feedback) and opening ballot. To understand the process, you first have to understand the role of the LEED Steering Committee (LSC). This is a diverse group of volunteers and USGBC staff who manage and guide the evolution of LEED. They’re involved in every step of the...

USGBC has created a new infographic, "LEED in the World," which lists the current number of both registered and certified LEED projects across the globe by gross square meters in different regions, and ranks the top 10 countries for green building. The numbers show the explosive growth of the green building movement beyond North America, demonstrating the growing global consensus about the worldwide imperative to green the built environment. (Figures are as of April 2013.)

Would you makeover a kitchen or bathroom using low flow fixtures? What about more energy efficient replacement windows or lighting? Maybe even low maintenance fiber-cement siding or a Cool roof with a lifetime warranty? Whichever option you choose, one thing is for sure, as home renovations go, $25,000 makes a big difference! For the third consecutive year, USGBC is joining with Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, and other Meredith-owned magazines and websites to offer one lucky reader...

In 2005, USGBC developed the application guidance for multiple buildings and buildings on a campus. Since then, we’ve continued to refine and expand both the document and the supporting tools. The newest update includes two key features. The first is Group Certification, which allows project teams with separate buildings that are substantially similar to certify as one project that shares a single certification. This is now available in addition to the existing Campus approach, which allows...