The First Facility Management Blog

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International announced it has been approved as a U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Education Provider. USGBC has approved the technical and instructional quality of two of BOMA’s education series, the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) and the Sustainable Operations Series (SOS). BEEP’s six on demand Webinars have been approved for a total of 12 GBCI CE hours and the four Webinars in the SOS series have been approved for a total of six GBCI CE hours, all counting toward the LEED Credential Maintenance Program.

The BEEP series gives building owners and property managers information, strategies, technologies, how-to guides, and resources to reduce energy and costs in their buildings. It was developed by the BOMA Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s ENERGY STAR® program and is supported in part by a grant from EPA. SOS builds on the BEEP program by clearly demonstrating how green operations can effectively enhance the bottom line, improve tenant satisfaction and benefit the environment. Each course features practical strategies and case studies on buildings that have employed green operating practices.

BOMA is committed to enhancing the ongoing professional development of the building industry and LEED Professionals through high-quality continuing education programs. As a USGBC Education Provider, BOMA has agreed to abide by USGBC-established operational and educational criteria, and is subject to annual reviews and audits for quality assurance.

All USGBC-approved Education Provider courses:

• Support the LEED Professional Credentialing Maintenance Program;
• Align with USGBC’s educational mission;
• Are delivered in a variety of formats and target multiple learning levels and audiences; and
• Are peer-reviewed to meet USGBC’s standard for instructional design and content quality.

On February 4, 2010, the LEED Green Associate credential, which recognizes professionals in the green building field, launched in Canada. This credential is the Green Building Certification Institute’s (GBCI) fastest growing credential.

“The green building world is expanding; key players include not only those in the building industry but also sales and marketing professionals, lawyers, real estate brokers, product manufacturers and suppliers, students, and more,” said Peter Templeton, President, GBCI. “The LEED Green Associate credential gives these individuals a way to differentiate themselves from their peers in a highly competitive job market.”

The LEED Green Associate credential signifies fundamental knowledge of green building concepts and is ideal for both professionals in non-technical fields of practice as well as professionals and students working towards the LEED Accredited Professional exam. The LEED Green Associate launched in 2009 and has been earned by almost 4,500 professionals in over 40 countries. GBCI is working in collaboration with the Canada Green Building Council to support and grow the LEED credentials held by more than 10,000 professionals in Canada today.

GBCI, based in Washington, DC, administers the LEED Professional Credentials which have been recognized in the industry as a mark of significant achievement for almost a decade. Earning a LEED Professional Credential demonstrates a candidate’s comprehensive understanding of and commitment to green building design, construction and operations.

A new standard for the design of high performance green buildings is set to revolutionize the building industry. Published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is the first code intended commercial green building standard in the United States.

The standard provides a green building foundation for those who strive to design, build, and operate green buildings. From site location to energy use to recycling, this standard will set the foundation for green buildings through its adoption into local codes. It covers key topic areas similar to green building rating systems: site sustainability, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and the building’s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources.

The energy efficiency goal of Standard 189.1 is to provide significant energy reduction over that in ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007. It offers a broader scope than Standard 90.1 and is intended to provide minimum requirements for the siting, design, and construction of high performance, green buildings.

“The far reaching influence of the built environment necessitates action to reduce its impact,” Gordon Holness, ASHRAE president, said. “Provisions in the standard can reduce negative environmental impacts through high performance building design, construction, and operations practices. Ultimately, the aim is not just energy efficiency but a balance of environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, occupant comfort and well being, and community sensitivity, all while supporting the goal of sustainable development.”

Standard 189.1 has been written by experts representing all areas of the building industry, including engineers, lighting designers, sustainability experts, building owners, designers, architects, code and compliance officials, utilities, materials experts, and equipment manufacturers. The technical requirements in the standard were also supported by input from the building industry during the public review process.

For complete information on the standard, including a readable copy, visit this link.

The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) announced that its online course on “Sustainable Real Estate Management” (SRMOO1) has been approved for continuing education credit for LEED Professionals by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). With the acceptance of the course, IREM becomes an approved USGBC Education Provider. Education Providers are third-party organizations offering the highest-quality education that has been peer reviewed and endorsed by USGBC.

“IREM Members are committed to adopting sustainable building operating practices to help ensure that the properties they manage are environmentally sound, healthy places to live, work and shop,” said IREM President O. Randall Woodbury, CPM®. “USGBC’s recognition of the value of our green course in fostering sustainability and promoting efficient energy management both reflects and reinforces that commitment.”

“Sustainable Real Estate Management” also is eligible for elective credit toward the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) Green Designation. Those interested in earning this designation must be active members of NAR (either as a REALTOR® or Institute Affiliate member) and maintain membership in the Green REsource Council, founded by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), a NAR subsidiary, to broadly disseminate knowledge about green real estate practices.

“Sustainable Real Estate Management” was designed and developed with IREM Member-experts in sustainable, or “green” real estate management. The course focuses on common sense, cost effective ways to meet owner, tenant, and resident demand for “green” real estate and increase a property’s NOI through sustainable real estate management techniques. Requiring approximately six hours to complete, it is self-guided and features open enrollment, enabling in individuals to begin and return to it at any time.

Specific topics addressed include:

• Sustainable property operations;
• Increasing energy efficiency;
• Increasing water efficiency;
• Improving indoor environmental quality (IEQ);
• How to reduce, reuse, and recycle; and
• The sustainable real estate management company.

For more information and to register, click this link.

ASHRAE has always prided itself on providing the gold standard in research, standards writing, publishing, and continuing education. However, when it came to energy efficiency and sustainability, gold just wasn’t good enough. That’s why the ASHRAE Headquarters has gone a step further and has been awarded a LEED Platinum Certification in the New Construction 2.2 rating system.

The Society’s office building in Atlanta, GA, which underwent a major renovation in 2008, is one of only six buildings in the state of Georgia to receive a LEED Platinum rating, the highest certification the program offers. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), a non-profit which seeks to promote green building practices.

“While our first objective was to provide a healthy, comfortable, and productive environment for our staff, we also wanted to set an example of what can be done to renovate existing buildings,” ASHRAE President Gordon Holness said. “Given that 75% to 80% of all existing buildings will still be around in 2030, our greatest opportunity for a sustainable future is through the upgrade and retrofit of these buildings. It is extremely gratifying to achieve the USGBC’s highest rating and confirm ASHRAE’s leadership and commitment to supporting a sustainable built environment.”

LEED takes into account five key measurements when evaluating new construction: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Bonus points may be obtained through innovation in design and regional priority.

In order to qualify for the highly sought-after Platinum certification, ASHRAE took into consideration a number of concerns such as energy use, heat island reduction, water efficient landscaping, material reuse and water use reduction, to name just few.

ASHRAE addressed these issues, among others, by installing a cool, white reflective roof membrane to minimize heat island effects; updating the landscaping and eliminating the need for landscaping irrigation; retaining more than 75% of the existing building structure as part of this renovation; and reducing its estimated overall annual water consumption per year by almost 50% by using low-flow fixtures throughout building. Additionally, the ASHRAE headquarters received bonus points for innovation and design.

As a leader in energy efficient technology, ASHRAE viewed its headquarters renovation as the perfect way to “walk the talk.” The 34,500 square foot office building, built originally in 1965, now acts as a showcase of energy efficiency and sustainability through its living lab—which provides recourses on building, system and equipment performance—and learning center.

The LEED Platinum Certification acts as third-party verification of ASHRAE’s efforts to create an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, sustainable workplace.

Jeffrey A. Horn, president and CEO of BOMI (Building Owners and Managers Institute) International, has announced that the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has approved BOMI’s Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part II (Design II) course. This is the third BOMI class that USGBC has approved in the past two months.

As an approved USGBC Education Provider, BOMI is a third-party organization that offers peer-reviewed classes accepted by USGBC for its credentialing maintenance requirements. Design II underwent a rigorous review process in which a team of subject matter experts evaluated the course based on its content and instructional design quality.

Horn says the USGBC’s approval “reinforces BOMI’s consistent emphasis on providing property and facility managers with critical technical expertise in energy management and sustainability. We were teaching ‘green’ long before the subject became popular.” He attributes BOMI’s foresight to its 40 year history of developing property and facility management courses. “We trace our origins to the energy crisis of the 1970s and the birth of the environmental movement.”

The other BOMI courses that have received USGBC approval are The Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Building Systems, Part I, and Energy Management and Controls.

Design II provides information that property and facility managers need in order to make management decisions about various building systems and sites. Making these decisions correctly will increase occupant safety and comfort while facilitating building efficiency to meet the business goals of an organization.

Design II helps students understand electrical systems and lighting, elevator maintenance and modernization, and pest and solid waste management. Other areas of interest covered in this course include security issues, fire and safety systems, and energy management concerns. Students learn how to analyze and manage building systems, maintain property in top condition, both inside and out, and maintain a secure, safe building.

Because of USGBC’s status as an approved Education Reviewing Body (ERB) for the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), all approved courses—including those from BOMI—will be assigned GBCI Continuing Education (CE) hours, which will help Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Professionals satisfy their credentialing maintenance requirements.

GBCI launched the LEED Professional Credentialing Maintenance Program (CMP) on August 3, 2009. The program requires LEED Professionals to maintain their credentials by staying current and relevant in a constantly transitioning marketplace. Currently, there are over 130,000 LEED Credentialed Professionals in the United States.

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America recently announced its Plano, Texas, headquarters has been awarded LEED® Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

The Frito-Lay North America headquarters is the only Existing Building (EB) in the state of Texas, to receive this distinction and one of only 12 corporate headquarters to receive this distinction nationally.

“There are many challenges to retrofitting a 25-year-old building to meet LEED EB Gold standards,” said George Guck, Director of Facilities and Corporate Services, Frito-Lay North America. “Bolstered by the commitment of senior leadership, we completed a thorough analysis of our facility workings and evaluated new technologies to find strategic sustainable solutions that helped us meet LEED requirements.”

“With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “As the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, Frito-Lay is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement.”

To achieve LEED EB Certification, Frito-Lay’s sustainability strategy included implementing a number of green design and construction features, water reduction technologies and practices, as well as improved waste management.

Energy reduction:

• Solar thermal water heating system uses the sun’s light to heat all the hot water in the headquarters building - including the kitchen, dish room and fitness center. This one change reduced energy consumption by 130,000 KWH and eliminated more than 154,000 pounds of greenhouse gases from being emitted into the atmosphere since installation in 2008.
• New high efficiency chillers reduce annual energy consumption by 975,000 KWH and eliminate the use of harmful, ozone-depleting refrigerants.
• New lighting control systems, including daylight harvesting, turns off indoor lights when there is enough sunlight in the area, saving 266,000 KWH per year.

Water reduction:

Landscaping with native and adaptive plants reduces water needed for lawn maintenance and impedes soil erosion. The sustainable organic maintenance program minimizes environmental impacts from storm water run off.

Recycling:

Frito-Lay is the city of Plano’s No. 1 recycling customer. More than 70% of the company’s wastes are diverted from the landfill.

Employee education:

Frito-Lay has leveraged its best practices to educate associates, and they in turn have positively impacted the community at large. Frito-Lay hosts an annual Eco Fair for its associates to showcase local green vendors. The information, services and products are resources employees can take home and to their communities.

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 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010. The 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. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. 35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 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.

Frito-Lay North America

Frito-Lay North America is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fritolay. PepsiCo offers the world’s largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 18 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in over 200 countries. With more than $43 billion in 2008 revenues, PepsiCo employs 198,000 people who are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.pepsico.com.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, executives at the Sears Tower announced plans for the most significant sustainable modernization projects of an existing building ever undertaken. The project will result in energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions to the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, cutting base building electricity use by up to 80% (by way of a combination of energy savings and cogeneration). The energy savings will equal 68 million kilowatt hours annually or 150,000 barrels of oil every year.

The sustainability plans also intend to drive economic development in the West Loop, creating more than 3,600 jobs. This is all part of a broader initiative to transform the global icon.

“Sears Tower (pictured, left, with new new Skydeck on the 103rd floor), an iconic structure that defines the city’s skyline, will undergo a groundbreaking transformation that creates economic growth with positive impact on our environment, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations,” said John Huston of American Landmark Properties, representing the partnership that owns Sears Tower. “The changes made and benefits realized through the bold sustainable initiatives at the tower serve as an example that a sustainable future is more than a concept, it is within our reach.”

The building, which already meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria, will undertake sustainability initiatives above and beyond those used by the United Stated Green Building Council to rate a green building. Modernization strategies, designed by Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), include:

• Efficiency improvements to the building’s exterior envelope and windows. The tower has 16,000 single pane windows. Sustainability plans for the building call for a window replacement and glazing program. Strategies to achieve a thermal break of the curtainwall are also being investigated. These upgrades would achieve savings of up to 60% of heating energy.
• Mechanical system upgrades in the form of new gas boilers that use fuel cell technologies, which generate electricity, heating, and cooling at as much as 90% efficiency. Mechanical upgrades will also include new high-efficiency chillers and upgrades to the distribution system.
• The tower’s 104 high speed elevators and 15 escalators that will be modernized with the latest technology to achieve 40% reduction in their energy consumption.
• Water savings that will be realized with conservation initiatives through upgrades to restroom fixtures, condensation recovery systems, and water efficient landscaping, which will reduce water usage by 40% and save 24 million gallons of water each year.
• Lighting that will be upgraded through advanced lighting control systems and daylight harvesting, an advanced lighting control system that automatically dims lights in tenant spaces based on the amount of sunlight entering through the windows. Combined, these upgrades will save up to 40% of lighting energy consumption.
• Renewable energy like wind and solar, and technologies like green roofs that will be tested. Wind turbines will be tested to take advantage of the tower’s height and unique set-back roof areas. Solar hot-water panels will help heat water for the building. Green roofs that can sustain high-altitude conditions, and that will be among the tallest in the world, will be tested to reduce storm water runoff, improve insulation, help mitigate the urban heat island effect, and provide pleasant vistas for tenants overlooking the areas.

“Buildings are the world’s largest contributor to carbon emissions; therefore, the biggest opportunity to address climate change is to retrofit existing structures,” said Adrian Smith, partner, AS+GG. “Our goal in the Sears Tower greening project is to create a holistic approach that integrates high-performance building technologies and design strategies for maximum energy efficiency. In the process, we hope to set a benchmark for how high-rise buildings throughout the world can limit their impact on the environment.”

“Sustainable architecture in new buildings is important but not enough to address the climate and energy crises facing our world,” added Gordon Gill, partner, AS+GG. “We have to apply what we’ve learned to our existing stock of commercial buildings—especially iconic structures such as Sears Tower, which we hope will inspire similar initiatives around the globe. These will serve as great examples for building owners and facility managers and can reposition existing building stock to be as competitive as most new buildings or even better.”

As an important part of the modernization program, Sears Tower’s plazas and retail spaces will also undergo changes. A new park at Wacker Drive and Adams Street will be an inviting public space with landscaping and seating. The Adams Street granite wall will be replaced with an interactive digital display, glass storefronts, and trees, which will be planted to form a landscaped terrace that will add a natural filter for carbon dioxide.

In addition to the most significant energy efficiency renovations ever undertaken on an existing building, another aspect of the transformation is a proposed new, privately funded hotel for the site at Jackson Boulevard and Wacker Drive. The hotel will be designed for a LEED Gold rating and will become one of the most sustainable hotels in Chicago. The hotel will fill a critical need in the West Loop and provide a much welcomed facility for existing building tenants.

The reduction in energy use and CO2 emissions realized through the sustainability and modernization plans for the tower also brings economic opportunities by creating more than 3,600 jobs. Extending its impact beyond the site itself, the project will feature a dynamic Sustainable Technology Learning Center that is designed to help building visitors and Chicago tourists learn about ways to save energy and money, as Sears Tower serves as a laboratory that demonstrates to the office building industry how a sustainability program can be accomplished.

“The plans for the building bring new activity to the West Loop and make it even more attractive to current and future tenants who are looking for more sustainable office solutions,” said Robert A. Wislow, chairman and CEO of U.S. Equities Asset Management, the management and leasing agent for the tower. “Today, tenants want the buildings they inhabit to be environmentally friendly and more healthy for their employees. They demand sustainable workplaces. They are doing this because it is the right thing to do, has a positive effect on the environment, helps make their employees more productive, and is becoming more and more important to their employees.”

The cost of construction for the Sears Tower project is estimated at $350 million. A number of private and public financing and funding options are being explored. The majority of the energy savings will be realized in approximately five years and work will start immediately.

“The Illinois Environmental Council supports private and public investments in projects that spur job creation and economic development here in Illinois, while helping to meet the challenge of global climate change,” said Charles Jackson, IEC executive director. “The Sears Tower energy sustainability and environmental education project presents a tremendous opportunity for inspiring building owners and the public to aspire to the highest standards of energy-efficiency.”

Sears Tower’s commitment to energy efficiency is well established. Since 1989, the building has reduced its annual electricity consumption by 34%. Since 1984, its energy efficiency improvements have resulted in a reduction of 51 million pounds of carbon emissions annually, or the equivalent of removing more than 4,400 cars from the road each year.

Sears Tower offers more than 4.5 million square feet of office and retail space. Located in Chicago’s West Loop at 233 S. Wacker Drive, the skyscraper stands 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall. Originally opened in September 1973, it is home to more than 100 different companies and boasts spectacular views that can reach nearly 50 miles on a clear day. Sears Tower also boasts a tremendous infrastructure system, which includes enormous telecommunications capacity and unsurpassed electrical capacity and reliability. The Sears Tower Skydeck on the 103rd floor attracts more than 1.3 million visitors per year.

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that it has been awarded Platinum level LEED® certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its Gurnee, Ill. restaurant. The restaurant was built in 2008 under the LEED for Retail pilot program and is the first restaurant to receive Platinum level certification, the USGBC’s highest LEED certification level.

“Part of changing the way the world thinks about and eats fast food is designing and building restaurants in more environmentally friendly ways,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. “Our team worked hard to ensure that sustainable elements that made sense for this location were seamlessly incorporated into the design of the restaurant, while still giving it the iconic look of a Chipotle.”

The Gurnee, Ill. Chipotle restaurant opened in the fall of 2008 and was designed to achieve LEED certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use. The planning and construction process was carefully managed by Chipotle in conjunction with the USGBC.

“Chipotle’s commitment to the LEED certification process has demonstrated a passionate commitment to green building leadership,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “The project’s effective use of natural resources and sustainable design elements serve as a model for other LEED for Retail projects, and Chipotle has become a driving force in the green building movement.”

In addition to a variety of recycled building materials and environmentally friendly systems, the Gurnee restaurant includes a six kilowatt wind turbine that generates a portion of the restaurant’s energy on site, as well as a 2,500 gallon underground water cistern that harvests rainwater to irrigate the landscape.

Chipotle has designed and built other restaurants in Minneapolis and Long Island, NY to comply with LEED certification standards and is awaiting final certifications on those projects.

About Chipotle

Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food with Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food not only from using fresh ingredients, but ingredients that are sustainably grown and naturally raised with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. Chipotle opened its first restaurant in 1993 and currently operates more than 860 restaurants. For more information, visit Chipotle.com.

About LEED®

The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a feature-oriented rating system that awards buildings points for satisfying specified green building criteria. The six major environmental categories to review include: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation and Design. Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels of LEED green building certification are awarded based on the total number of points earned within each LEED category. LEED can be applied to all building types including new construction, commercial interiors, core & shell developments, existing buildings, homes, neighborhood developments, schools and retail facilities. Incentives for LEED are available at the state and local level and LEED has also been adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments and interested private companies. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org/LEED.

On May 19, 2009, the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, announced a global program developed in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), called the Climate Positive Development Program. The program will support the development of large-scale urban projects that demonstrate cities can grow in ways that are “climate positive.” Climate Positive real estate developments will strive to reduce the amount of on-site CO2 emissions to below zero.
 
Sixteen founding projects on six continents, supported by local governments and property developers, will demonstrate Climate Positive strategies, setting a compelling environmental and economic example for cities to follow.
 
Rapid urban growth and climate change are putting the world’s cities in a vise grip of escalating infrastructure, energy, and health and human services costs that will be magnified by the pressure of climatic adaptation. How cities change and grow is therefore a critical component to tackling the climate crisis.
 
“As the Earth’s population increases and our cities grow, we need to ensure we have the models in place to sustain our way of life in an increasingly urbanized world,” President Clinton said. “The Climate Positive Development Program will set a new global standard for developments that will minimize environmental impacts and benefit economies as we build and rebuild homes, schools, and businesses.”
 
To reduce the net greenhouse gas emissions of these projects to below zero, property developers and local governments will agree to work in partnership on specific areas of activity. This includes implementing economically viable innovations in building, the generation of clean energy, waste management, water management, transportation, and outdoor lighting systems.
 
When the initial 16 projects are completed, nearly one million people will live and work in Climate Positive communities. These communities will be located in:  Melbourne, Australia; Palhoça, Brazil; Toronto, Canada; Victoria, Canada; Ahmedabad, India; Jaipur, India; outside Panama City, Panama; Pretoria, South Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa; Seoul, South Korea; Stockholm, Sweden; London, UK; San Francisco, USA and Destiny Florida, USA.
 
“We know that when it comes to combating the threat of climate change, cities are acting in many ways,” said Toronto Mayor David Miller, Chair of the C40 Group of large cities leading on climate change. “Climate Positive is yet another way cities will be able to continue to lead this important fight. This initiative is particularly important as the world becomes more urbanized and I want to thank CCI for making it a reality.”
 
“I am sure our effort to fight global warming will be a successful one if initiatives like the Climate Positive Development Program continue to be widely accepted around the world,” said Oh Se-hoon, Mayor of Seoul.