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Contact: Mark Rossolo
(503) 274-4050
mark@thegbi.org

GREEN GLOBES™ INCLUDED IN PRESIDENT ELECT’S PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN

- Program Would Call for Expanded Federal Efficiency Grants as Part of Comprehensive Effort to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions -

Portland, Ore. (December 8, 2008) – As part of their proposed comprehensive environmental improvement plan, President Elect Barack Obama and Vice President Elect Joe Biden have incorporated a special provision to help spur innovative measures to dramatically improve efficiency of buildings by encouraging the use of the Green Building Initiative’s™ (GBI) Green Globes environmental assessment and rating system, among others. 

The new administration’s plan addresses climate change, air and water pollution, the need to create healthier communities and land preservation. It recommends an expansion of federal efficiency grant programs to help states and localities build more efficient public buildings that adopt aggressive green building provisions like Green Globes or the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. 

“We’re honored that the new administration has included our innovative Green Globes tool in their proposed comprehensive environmental plan,” said Ward Hubbell, president of the GBI.  “The plan is another example of the administration’s desire to affect positive change, as it’s easily one of the most progressive environmental plans on record.”

Green Globes is a revolutionary green building guidance and assessment program that has been available in the United States for the past four years. Unique in the market for its practicality and affordability, it is applicable to projects of any size or budget and suitable both for mainstream practitioners or those with environmental design expertise.

Aside from its inclusion in the new administration’s environmental plan, the system has been officially recognized by legislation or executive order in 18 states, including Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, New Jersey, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as by the U.S. Deptartment of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Interior. In addition, Green Globes has been formally recognized by private sector institutions such as Aon, Liberty Mutual and the Fireman's Fund.

A copy of the Obama-Biden environmental plan is available at http://www.thegbi.org/green-resource-library/green-building-white-papers.asp in the Green Resource Library along with additional legislative information.

ABOUT THE GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVE:  The mission of the Green Building Initiative is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches.  A not-for-profit education initiative, the GBI is supported by a broad cross section of organizations and individuals with an interest in residential and commercial construction.  For more information on the Green Building Initiative, please visit www.thegbi.org.