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EPA GRANT HELPS BUILDING INDUSTRY IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

Release Date: 09/28/2001
Contact Information:



Note to Correspondents

As part of the ongoing effort to support the President’s energy plan, EPA has awarded $99,974 to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to develop a green rating system for existing buildings that will improve and promote optimal building performance and efficiency.

Working with over 700 members throughout the building industry, the USGBC will develop, test and promote a comprehensive “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System for Building Operations and Retrofit” that will provide standards and guides for achieving exceptional environmental performance. The system will address every aspect of a building’s environmental impact, from off-site water runoff, to indoor building materials that minimize virgin materials, to energy consumption.

Commercial buildings account for more than 15 percent of carbon dioxide (the main global warming gas) emissions and about a quarter of the energy consumption in the United States. However, current industry benchmarks fail to capture every aspect of a building’s environmental impact.

The USGBC’s system will help building managers assess and improve their buildings’ overall performance. Improved building operating practices can reduce energy and water consumption, yield healthier indoor environments and reduce pollution of land, water and air.

The USGBC is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. and a national leader in setting standards for sustainability (economic development without compromising the environment) and promoting green building practices and technologies.

For more technical information on this grant, contact Damian Delgado of EPA at 202-564-1479 ([email protected]).

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