Our goal is green buildings for everyone.
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization that supports the development of prosperous, healthy and resilient communities through the transformation of the built environment. Through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program, USGBC is committed to transforming how our buildings and communities are designed, constructed and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves quality of life.
Our vision at USGBC is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation. Through our community network, collaboration with industry experts, market research publications, LEED building certification and network of professional LEED credential holders, our global staff is working every day to help advance spaces that are brighter and healthier for us to live, learn, work and play.
USGBC initiatives
- Center for Green Schools: The Center for Green Schools at USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation, because high-performing schools result in high-performing students. The Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to learn, work and play.
- USGBC Membership: We bring diverse backgrounds and experiences but share one steadfast vision: that the green building community can help change our world for the better. USGBC is a movement of community leaders, professionals, businesses and innovators working to accomplish a single bold vision: healthy, efficient and equitable buildings and communities for all. USGBC members make an impact within their sphere of influence and advance the movement for a more sustainable built environment.
- LEED credentials: A LEED credential denotes proficiency in today’s sustainable design, construction and operations standards. More than 204,000 professionals have earned a LEED credential to help advance their careers.
- Education: To advance the green workforce, USGBC offers green building education courses to help professionals along their green building career path. USGBC’s educational offerings include the LEED web-based reference guides, year round events, an extensive badge program, resources and publications, and hundreds of courses on the USGBC course catalog with the ability to fulfill continuing education.
- USGBC Advocacy: USGBC's advocacy efforts work to accelerate the uptake of state, local and national policies that advance energy conservation, green building and livable communities. From the more than 400 municipalities, 32 states and 14 federal agencies that reference LEED as a best-practice for achieving sustainability goals to the Coalition for Better Buildings, the partnership between political advocacy and the green building movement is reflected in accomplishments across the U.S. and globally.
- USGBC Live: USGBC Live is the leading event for the future of buildings, cities and communities. Content at USGBC Live shares how to implement LEED, offers networking opportunities beyond the event to meet others in the industry, reveals new green building strategies that help with real world issues and explores the latest in green building technology platforms, including updates to LEED. USGBC Live offers dozens of CE hours for professional credential holders, available through the in-person events and through access to the digital platform.
- Greenbuild International Conference & Expo is the world’s largest green building conference and has become the go-to place for the green building industry to convene. Thousands gather at Greenbuild each year to renew their commitment to the green building movement. The conferences include uplifting speakers, unmatched networking opportunities, showcases, LEED workshops and tours of green buildings in each local market. Past speakers include: President Bill Clinton, famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, director James Cameron, Amal Clooney, Dan Levy, President Barack Obama, explorer and author Sebastian Junger, Ret. Gen. Colin Powell, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore, among many others.