What is U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)?

Founded in the early 1990s and based in Washington, DC, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization committed to a sustainable future through cost- and energy-efficient green buildings.

USGBC is made up of tens of thousands of member organizations, chapters, and student and community volunteers. Currently, there are more than 76 chapters, 16,000 member organizations, and 197,000 LEED professionals, and those numbers continue to grow. Members of USGBC include engineers, architects, building owners, contractors, facility managers, building product manufacturers, designers, utility managers, college students, college faculties, government agencies, and more.

USGBC promotes buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and supportive of human health.

USGBC’s Mission:

“To transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built, and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.”

USGBC’s Vision:

“Buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation.”

USGBC accomplishes this mission through the following:

• LEED: The most widely known and used green building program across the world.
• Credentials: The LEED Green Associate credential and the various LEED AP credentials offer professionals a designation to help them stand out in the building industry.
• Greenbuild International Conference & Expo: The world’s largest expo, launched in 2002, dedicated to green buildings.
• Education: USGBC provides educational programs about green buildings to further spread environmental principles and design.
• Advocacy: At every level of government, USGBC provides policymakers and community leaders with all the tools, strategies, and resources necessary to inspire action toward a sustainable built environment.
• Chapters & Committees: USGBC contains more than 76 regional USGBC chapter organizations for involvement from the local level to the national level.