The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced a new initiative designed to ensure use of sustainable and environmentally protective products in buildings by applying technical and science-based approaches to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building program.
LEED is regularly updated through a rigorous development process that includes public comments, technical review, and balloting. The two councils will work within that framework to incorporate state-of-the-art safety, sustainability, and life-cycle based approaches to the green building rating program.
According to the groups, this collaboration acknowledges USGBC’s success in leading the transformation of the built environment and sets up a pathway to take advantage of the materials science expertise of ACC and its members.
“USGBC and ACC share the goal of advancing sustainability in the built environment, and we will work together to take advantage of our collective strength and experience,” said USGBC’s president, CEO, and founding chair, Rick Fedrizzi. “The looming impacts of climate change and the possibilities of improving human health and well-being favor collaboration and engagement as key strategies. The goal is forward progress.”
ACC president/CEO Cal Dooley noted plastics’ contributions to windows, insulation, adhesives, and flooring.
“By combining USGBC, a leader of the green building movement, with the scientific know-how of ACC, we can develop a path to stronger, science-based standards that achieve measurable progress in sustainability,” he said.
