Feature image: The LEED Platinum USGBC headquarters in Washington, D.C. Image credit: Eric Laignel.

USGBC celebrated its 30th anniversary in April, and we were thrilled to close out our anniversary month with recognition from green building champions in Congress.

On April 25, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, marking our anniversary and reflecting on USGBC’s impact on the green building movement over the past 30 years. It’s a must-watch video.

On that same day, across the Capitol in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced a statement in the Congressional Record (see pg. 18) recognizing the anniversary and USGBC’s accomplishments.

The recognition is particularly rewarding considering Sen. Welch and Rep. Tonko’s leadership roles on these issues. They both have senior positions on energy issues in Congress and are widely considered clean energy and energy efficiency champions.

“This member-led, nonprofit organization has helped schools, businesses, cities, and even countries build and operate better buildings that transform lives,” Welch’s statement reads. “USGBC’s LEED certification program, short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, has grown to become the world’s most acclaimed and widely used green building system, with 105,000 projects in more than 185 countries.”

In his statement, Rep. Tonko touted the full scale of USGBC’s presence in New York. “In my home state of New York, over 2,600 projects and over 15,000 homes have achieved LEED certification. At a time when homeowners and businesses are dealing with rising costs, research has repeatedly found that energy-efficient, lower-waste buildings result in major savings. Plus, they boost staff recruitment, retention and productivity,” he said.

USGBC thanks Sen. Welch and Rep. Tonko for their recognition, and we look forward to working with them and other members of Congress to continue to advance green buildings across the country.

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U.S. lawmakers recognize USGBC’s 30th anniversary and impact