Sept. 15, 2010 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, nearly 350 businesses from around the country joined together to push Capitol Hill to pass legislation that revives PACE programs, which have been launched in cities around the country to make green, energy-saving improvements more affordable for businesses and homeowners.

For months, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs in 22 states have been stalled due to guidance issued from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which suspended dozens of retrofit programs, created thousands of lay-offs, and clouded the future of these programs indefinitely. PACE programs allow commercial and residential property owners to finance energy retrofits (efficiency measures and small renewable energy systems) and then repay the financing over 20 years via an annual assessment on their property tax bill.

“In PACE, we have an engine for creating new retrofit jobs in every community in America. We need to revive these programs and unlock investment in green, energy-efficient buildings that will save people money, save energy and create thousands of jobs,” said Jason Hartke, Vice President of National Policy at the U.S. Green Building Council, the primary organizer of the letter. “We urge Congress to put jobs first and move quickly to ensure that local governments can use this innovative investment tool to help boost local economies and save money for homeowners and businesses across the country.”

The letter, sent to all 535 members of Congress, urged passage of legislation before the end of this Congressional session.

“Congress cannot allow the FHFA to stand in the way of clean energy jobs and lower utility bills for millions of Americans,” the businesses wrote in the letter.  “We urge you to act expediently to pass legislation that would allow the PACE pilot programs to proceed – putting Americans back to work immediately and helping our consumers do the right thing – make property investments to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.”

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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 78 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 140,000 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.

LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 6.9 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.

For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.