for Obama Administration to Take Immediate Action to Help Transform America’s Building Stock

Who:  U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)  
What: Release of report, “Using Executive Authority to Achieve Greener Buildings:  A Guide for Policymakers to Enhance Sustainability and Efficiency in Multifamily Housing and Commercial Buildings.” Two panels, moderated by USGBC Senior Vice President, Roger Platt, will be comprised of report sponsors and government agency representatives to discuss the findings of the legal analysis.
Where: National Press Club, The Fourth Estate Room 529 14th St NW Washington, DC 20045

When: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 8:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m.
Why: The report, sponsored by leading organizations in energy, housing, environment and real estate, concludes that under current executive authority, the Obama Administration has the ability to use over 30 existing federal programs worth $72 billion to enhance efficiency in commercial buildings and multifamily housing, with no new legislation. The report was prepared by Van Ness Feldman. Other sponsors of the report include The Real Estate Roundtable, UDR, Johnson Controls, Inc., The Energy Foundation, Building Owners and Managers Association International, The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), International Facility ManagemenAssociation (IFMA), Energy Future Coalition, and C3.

U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.