The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is pleased to announce New York and San Francisco as the recipients of the World Green Building Council's Government Leadership Awards for Excellence in City Policy for Green Building. Announced today at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, the awards acknowledge international best practice in city-level government policy for green building initiatives and recognize green buildings as an important means to reduce carbon emissions.
Winners were chosen by an expert panel of judges comprised of ICLEI International, UN HABITAT and the WorldGBC.
"Buildings are responsible for approximately one-third of global carbon emissions and 40 percent of global energy usage, so the need for exemplary green building policies in the United States and throughout the world is great," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC, and chair-elect of the World Green Building Council. "New York and San Francisco are strong models for green building policy. The United States continues to be at the forefront of the green building movement thanks in part to these shining examples of leadership."
San Francisco was honored with the Best Green Building Policy award for the San Francisco Green Building Ordinance, which requires all new commercial, residential and municipal construction to be built to the LEED green building program, and existing buildings to publicly disclose energy labels, undergo periodic energy audits and mandatory water efficiency retrofits at the time of sale. The impacts of building labeling and auditing alone are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 105,000 tons and have a 10-year net present value of approximately $1 billion. The city has also created financing options to assist the private sector in meeting its efficiency targets.
"San Francisco's innovative and comprehensive green building policies are lasting investments in the environmental and economic future of our great city," said Mayor Ed Lee. "The Green Building Ordinance employs San Francisco's design talent, as well as technological and business innovations, to ensure that we meet the market demands of the 21st century, protect the environment, and support the health and well being of our residents. Thank you to the many City staff, particularly at the Department of Building Inspection, Department of the Environment and the SF Public Utilities Commission, for their commitment to a sustainable city. I also wish to extend my appreciation to the local building industry professionals who design, construct and manage the green buildings for which we are receiving this award."
New York City received the Industry Transformation award for its Greener, Greater Buildings Plan, a component of the broader PLANYC policy that requires large commercial buildings to publicly display annual energy and water benchmarks and undergo cost-effective lighting and efficiency upgrades. The plan is expected to reduce the city's carbon dioxide emissions by 5.3 percent below 2009 levels, reduce citywide energy costs by $700 million annually by 2030 and create roughly 17,800 construction-related jobs over 10 years.
"We are honored to receive the Industry Transformation Award and also recognize the numerous private-public partnerships that made the plan's passage possible," said David Bragdon, director, New York City Mayor's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability. "The Greener, Greater Buildings Plan will transform the industry because it is the first policy of its kind to aggressively target energy efficiency in large, existing buildings. We hope that this plan can be a model for other cities to follow because of the substantial environmental, economical, and social impacts that are possible on a large scale."
Other award recipients include Mexico City, Mexico; Birmingham, UK; Singapore; and Tokyo, Japan.
"Buildings represent unparalleled potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and cities play a critical role in seizing this opportunity," said Jane Henley, CEO of the WorldGBC. "The Government Leadership Award entries demonstrate that all around the globe cities are implementing policies that are meeting immediate budget priorities while still addressing longer term emissions reduction goals. These cities are focusing on energy efficiency in the built environment to deliver a range of benefits, including operational savings, energy security, health and well-being to building occupants, and provide a much needed boost to the economy. We are pleased to recognize a select few for their drive and innovation." BD+C
Related Stories
| Oct 4, 2012
Electronic power tool builds project transparency
As building projects have grown in scope and complexity, so, too, has the task of document management. A new online tool is helping Building Teams meet that demand.
| Oct 4, 2012
HMC Architects in service to the community
HMC employees give back to their communities through toy drives and fundraising efforts like CANstruction, which benefits local food banks.
| Oct 4, 2012
Career development, workplace environment programs key to retention at HMC Architects
Architecture firm take a multifaceted approach to professional development.
| Oct 4, 2012
Foundation tightens HMC Architects bond with local communities
Founded in 2009 with an initial endowment of $1.9 million, HMC’s nonprofit Designing Futures Foundation (DFF) has donated about $230,000 in its three years of existence, including $105,000 in scholarships to California students. The grants help promising high schoolers with an interest in architecture, design, engineering, education, or healthcare pay for expenses like test preparation services, computers, and college entrance exam fees and tuition. The scholarships can be extended for up to five years of college.
| Oct 4, 2012
Gilbane publishes Fall 2012 construction industry economic report
Report outlines fluctuation in construction spending; predicts continued movement toward recovery.
| Oct 3, 2012
Fifth public comment period now open for update to USGBC's LEED Green Building Program
LEED v4 drafts and the public comment tool are now available on the newly re-launched, re-envisioned USGBC.org website.
| Oct 2, 2012
Mirvish and Gehry unveil conceptual design to transform Toronto’s entertainment district
Reimagining of King Street Entertainment District supports Toronto’s cultural corridor.
| Oct 2, 2012
Dow Business Services Center building named 2012 “America’s Best Buildings of the Year” winner
Building constructed with air sealing and insulation products from Dow Building Solutions.
| Oct 2, 2012
Bernards working on project at L.A. White Memorial Medical Center
The new facility is a $15-million, 41,000-sf concrete structure which includes three stories of medical office space atop a three-level parking garage.
| Oct 1, 2012
Tyco completes separation process, now largest pure-play fire protection and security business
Tyco Integrated Security focused on delivering security solutions to commercial businesses.