About USGBC
Better buildings are our legacy
We're committed to transforming how our buildings are designed, constructed and operated through LEED.
Our vision at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation. Our mission is 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. Through our community network, continuous collaboration with industry experts, market research publications and LEED professional credentials, our global staff is working every day to help advance spaces that are brighter and healthier for us to live, work and play in.
LEED is an achievement in better building
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green certification program for building design, construction, operations and maintenance.
How LEED works
LEED is based on prerequisites and credits that a project meets to achieve a certification level: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. LEED works for all buildings anywhere.
LEED remains market relevant
LEED regularly undergoes evaluations, whether through clarification of specific credit’s language, an adaptation to an existing rating system, or a comprehensive update to its rating systems.
LEED is flexible
We've developed alternative compliance paths to LEED credits, providing more options to address unique circumstances and accommodate advancements in science and technology.
Advocating for a greener future
Promoting a greener, more resilient & prosperous future.
Backed by the strength of tools, community and research, we use direct advocacy, strategic partnerships, campaigns and engagement to drive development of green building standards, programs and regulations.
Explore our green building research & data.
Learn more about green building-related and LEED-specific policies across the U.S. in the USGBC Public Policy Library. The library is an interactive platform that shares details on policies at the federal, state and local levels that incentivize, require or otherwise promote green building measures — including LEED. See also: Advocacy Resources.
Our advocacy priorities.
Green building is projected to see positive growth for years to come, with its influence reaching across the U.S. economy, generating significant environmental and social benefits. Review the 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study to learn more. Explore our current advocacy priorities:
Federal, state and local governments recognize the importance of leading by example in energy and green building policy. Improving resource efficiency represents an enormous opportunity to save taxpayer money, save energy and water, and drive investment and jobs. At every level, from coast to coast, we see examples of pioneering policies and building practices that benefit the broader building industry.
- 2015 GAO Report: Third-party Green Building Certification Helps Agencies Implement Key Requirements (federal)
- Better Buildings, Better Policy: A Compilation of Green Building Policy Adoptions in the U.S. (state and local)
- Green Building Performance: A Post Occupancy Evaluation of 22 Buildings (federal)
- Guiding Green Building Policy (state and local)
- LEED Saves Money, Creates Jobs and Leads by Example (federal)
- National Academy of Sciences Endorses LEED for Pentagon Project (federal)
- Public Procurement and the Private Supply of Green Buildings
- State and Local Governments: Applying LEED to Meet Policy Goals
- State and Local Public Buildings Brief
Governments help support robust private sector green building activity with policies to incentivize building green and removing unnecessary barriers. At USGBC, we promote policies of all types that foster market transformation, including structural incentives like density and height bonuses and expedited or no-cost permitting, information mechanisms like benchmarking, and financial incentives like tax credits, grants and low interest loans.
Building codes and regulations play an integral role in fostering the progress necessary to realize far-reaching and truly sustainable buildings and communities. States and cities have critical roles in improving baseline-building requirements, and in establishing policies that promote best-in-class building strategies and practices. We work to support this transformation and to help align baseline building code with above-code green building certification using LEED, to facilitate seamless improvement.
- Better Buildings, Better Policy: A Compilation of Green Building Policy Adoptions in the U.S., 2011-2014
- Green Codes for California: A Progress Report and Recommendations from LEED & CALGreen User Group
- Greening the Codes Brief
- State and Local Governments: Applying LEED to Meet Policy Goals
- Washington, DC, Building a Green Code
Sustainable communities look beyond a single building and holistically use smart design and construction and operation practices to enhance community connectivity and wellness and reduce environmental impacts, from effects on local waterways to contributions to global warming. Public policy supporting sustainable communities can also unlock economic growth and provide important opportunities to build in-demand skills in the construction workforce. Through our work with Resilient Communities for America and other partnerships, we support planning, design, and building strategies that help communities build better, more resilient futures.
- 2015 Resilient Cities Summit Report
- Guiding Principles for Green Affordable Housing
- Greenbuild Communities and Affordable Homes Summit
- Green Building City Market Briefs
- Green Buildings for Cool Cities: A Guide for Advancing Local Green Building Practices
- Green For All: Healthy and Efficient Affordable Housing
- Homes Market Briefs
- Local Climate Leaders Profiles
- Oregon and Green Affordable Housing
- Social Equity in the Built Environment: An Initial Framework and Project Examples
- State Market Briefs
- Water Conservation and Water Resource Management in California’s Green Buildings: Data, Insights and Opportunity
- Washington, DC, Building a Green Code
Staff & industry leaders advance LEED
Executive staff
Our in-house experts and leadership staff are vital to ensuring LEED's success today and tomorrow.
Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO
Strategic management
- Taryn Holowka, Senior Vice President
- Melissa Baker, Senior Vice President
- Sarah Alexander, Senior Vice President
- Kate Hurst, Senior Vice President
Enterprise operations
- David Witek, Senior Vice President
- Susan Dorn, General Counsel
- Jennifer Druliner, Vice President
- Ashley Fowler, Director
Market transformation & development
- David Witek, Senior Vice President
- Roger Limoges, Senior Vice President
- Roger Platt, Senior Vice President
- Kimberly Lewis, Senior Vice President
- Doug Gatlin, Senior Vice President
Strategic partnerships & growth
- Peter Templeton, Senior Vice President
- David Witek, Senior Vice President
- Brendan Owens, Senior Vice President
- Roger Platt, Senior Vice President
Board of Directors
The USGBC Board of Directors is comprised of seven elected directors, one appointed director and the CEO, who serves as ex-officio and is a non-voting member. They meet in person several times a year and regularly by teleconference. To contact the board, email board@usgbc.org.
Mike McNally, Chair; McNally Green, and retired President and CEO, Skanska USA
Bob Fox, Vice Chair; Partner, COOKFox Architects and Terrapin Bright Green
Chrissa Pagitsas, Secretary-Treasurer; Director, Multifamily Green Initiative, Fannie Mae
Paul Anastas; Professor, and Director, Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University
Janine Benyus; Co-founder, Biomimicry 3.8 and The Biomimicry Institute
Aaron Bernstein; Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Brandon Tinianov; Vice President, Business Development, View Inc.; Chair, USGBC Advisory Council
Bruce Oreck; Executive in Residence, Aalto University and former U.S. Ambassador to Finland
Mahesh Ramanujam, Ex-officio; President and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council
The Finance and Audit Committee advises staff on USGBC’s financial health and recommends policy and guidelines for financial activities. The committee’s role and responsibilities are detailed in its charter.
- USGBC Board of Directors Chair: Mike McNally, McNally Green
- USGBC Board of Directors, Secretary/Treasurer: Chrissa Pagitsas, Fannie Mae
- Steve Bushnell, Stephen Bushnell + Associates
- Beth Heider, Skanska
- Al Skodowski, Rivion
Advisory Council
The USGBC Advisory Council provides industry leadership and experience, recommending policy and initiatives to the board. Members connect with key stakeholder groups across the sustainability movement and identify emerging opportunities and needs.
They're employed by member companies and appointed by the Board, following an open nomination process, to represent a specific perspective. To contact the council, email board@usgbc.org.
Brandon Tinianov; Chair; Seat: Business to Consumer Leader; Affiliation: View Inc.
Gina Bocra; Seat: State and Local Government Agency Leader; Affiliation: New York City Department of Design and Construction
Stephen Bushnell; Seat: Insurance; Affiliation: Stephen Bushnell + Associates
Linda Chipperfield; Seat: Environmental Nonprofit Advocate; Affiliation: Green Seal, Inc.
Amy Costello; Seat: Product Manufacturer; Affiliation: Armstrong World Services
Fiona Cousins; Affiliation: Arup
Brian Dunbar; Seat: Educator (Post-Secondary); Affiliation: Colorado State University
Denise Grabowski; Seat: Urban/Regional Planner; Affiliation: Symbioscity
Daniele Horton; Seat: Facility Management and Operations; Affiliation: Verdani Partners
Mark James; Seat: Sustainable Community Leader; Affiliation: Urban Green LLC
Sara Neff; Seat: Developer/Real Estate Services; Affiliation: Kilroy Realty Corporation
Christopher Schaffner; Seat: Sustainable Practice Leader: Engineer; Affiliation: The Green Engineer, LLC
Kevin Stack; Seat: Residential Construction Leader; Affiliation: Northeast Natural Homes
Brandon Tinianov; Seat: Business to Consumer Leader; Affiliation: View Inc.
Joe Van Belleghem; Seat: Real Estate Finance and Capital Markets; Affiliation: Lend Lease
Karen Weigert; Seat: Climate and Clean Energy Transition Leader; Affiliation: Northwestern University
Committees & advisory groups are key to LEED's success
USGBC committees and advisory groups are constantly reevaluating LEED to ensure it remains robust and efficient. And they’re working to develop educational materials about sustainable building and to support USGBC, while other green building councils around the world are helping keep LEED leaning forward as well.
Explore ways to get involved in USGBC committees.
Education
LEED
LEED International Roundtable