USGBC, American Chemistry Council join forces to advance LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced a new initiative designed to ensure the use of sustainable and environmentally protective products in buildings by applying technical and science-based approaches to the LEED green building program. This new initiative acknowledges USGBC’s success in leading the transformation of the built environment and sets up a pathway to take advantage of the materials science expertise of ACC and its members.

“USGBC and ACC share the goal of advancing sustainability in the built environment, and we will work together to take advantage of our collective strength and experience,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “The looming impacts of climate change and the possibilities of improving human health and wellbeing favor collaboration and engagement as key strategies. The goal is forward progress.”

ACC President and CEO Cal Dooley noted, “Modern energy efficiency gains, building safety advances and carbon footprint reductions would not be possible without the products of chemistry. From windows to insulation, adhesives to flooring, chemistry provides solutions that enable the energy efficient and sustainable buildings that consumers expect in today’s world.

By combining USGBC, a leader of the green building movement, with the scientific know-how of ACC, we can develop a path to stronger, science-based standards that achieve measurable progress in sustainability.”

LEED is regularly updated through a rigorous development process that includes public comments, technical review and balloting. USGBC and ACC will work within that framework to incorporate state-of-the-art safety, sustainability and life-cycle based approaches to LEED. LEED has facilitated advances in building technologies, integrated design and operating practices, as well as the tremendous growth of the green building sector, which supports or creates 7.9 million jobs across all 50 states and contributes $554 billion to the U.S. economy annually.

The American business of chemistry employs nearly 800,000 Americans and supports nearly 25 percent of the U.S. GDP. Chemistry-based plastic building and construction materials saved 467.2 trillion BTUs of energy over alternative construction materials – enough energy saved over the course of a year to meet the average annual energy needs of 4.6 million U.S. households. Energy savings made possible by innovations in chemistry in homes in the U.S. prevented nearly 283 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2010—equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of 50 million passenger vehicles.

Rural hospitals present unique opportunities and challenges for healthcare facility operators. Oftentimes, the infrastructure and building systems have not been updated for years and require significant improvements in order to meet today’s modern medical demands. Additionally, as these smaller, more remote hospitals are acquired by larger regional and national healthcare systems, the first step by new ownership is often to update and rehabilitate the building. But how can this be done thoughtfully, economically, and efficiently in ways that allow the engineering and facility staff to adapt to the changes? And how can the updates accurately reflect the specific needs of rural communities and the afflictions with which these areas most commonly face?

Architects | Dec 13, 2021

Dan Hart, FAIA, inaugurated AIA 2022 President

Dan Hart will be the AIA's 98th President.

Architects | Dec 13, 2021

MASS Design Group receives 2022 AIA Architecture Firm Award

The annual AIA Architecture Firm Award is the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture practice.

Architects | Dec 13, 2021

2022 AIA Gold Medal awarded to Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa

The Gold Medal honors an individual or pair whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.

K-12 Schools | Dec 10, 2021

Trends in K-12 school design, with Dan Boggio and Melissa Turnbaugh of PBK

Dan Boggio and Melissa Turnbaugh of PBK, the largest K-12 design firm in the U.S., discuss the favorable market conditions and the latest trends in K-12 school design with BD+C's Rob Cassidy.

Architects | Dec 9, 2021

Hoffmann Architects wins Connecticut American Institute of Architects Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award

The AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Challenge, launched in November 2020, offers member firms the opportunity to commit to actions in each of the Challenge areas.

Giants 400 | Dec 5, 2021

2021 Justice Facility Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. justice facility/public safety sector

Turner Construction, DLR Group, AECOM, and Stantec top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms for justice facility/public safety buildings work, including correctional facilities, fire stations, jails, police stations, and prisons, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.

Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2021

2021 Hotel Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. hospitality sector

Gensler, Jacobs, Suffolk Construction, and WATG top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest hotel sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.

Currently Reading

USGBC, American Chemistry Council join forces to advance LEED

Tags

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Dec 15, 2021

Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021

Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021

Architects | Dec 13, 2021

Architects | Dec 13, 2021

Architects | Dec 13, 2021

K-12 Schools | Dec 10, 2021

Architects | Dec 9, 2021

Giants 400 | Dec 5, 2021

Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2021

Most Popular Content

Magazine Subscription

Get our Newsletters

Follow BD+C: