Washington - The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently welcomed its 10,000th member company. The achievement marks a turning point in the building design and construction market.
"This achievement is a significant milestone in the growth and development of the green building movement because it demonstrates a broad conviction that our built environment can improve the health of our planet, our economy and our communities," notes Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the organization.
"At all levels, our members-their vision for a sustainable built environment, their knowledge of building science and practice, and their commitment to results-are why the green building movement has grown exponentially in the last decade and a half," says Fedrizzi. "Thousands of volunteers have contributed tens of thousands of hours to the development of the LEED® green building rating system; chapter leaders all over the country are making transformation happen at the local level; and all of our members are raising the bar for their colleagues throughout the industry."
Today, the green building industry is worth upwards of $12 billion, whereas a decade ago it was negligible. USGBC was founded in 1993 with a vision of transforming the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated-enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment. That vision is shared by Council members, who are the driving force behind the Council and of the green building movement, including builders, designers, legislators, policy-makers, educators, manufacturers, developers, activists and scientists.
"Our members have joined together through USGBC to transform the way we design, build, and operate the structures in which we live our lives, which gives us a powerful voice to use as we continue to advance our transformation of the built environment," adds Fedrizzi.
About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org) is the nation's leading nonprofit composed of corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations working together to transform the way buildings are designed, built and operated. Green buildings are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. Since its founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 10,000 member companies and organizations, a 90-person professional staff, a broad portfolio of LEED® green building products and services, the industry's popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org) and a network of more than 70 local chapters, affiliates and organizing groups.
