News

GBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ADDRESSES U.S. COUNCIL OF MAYORS
Offers Support to Mayors to Help Achieve 2030 Challenge Goals

Click here to watch GBI Executive Director, Ward Hubbell's presentation at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 74th Annual Meeting

LAS VEGAS, NV (June 16, 2006) — At the recent U.S. Council of Mayors conference in Las Vegas, Nev., Green Building Initiative (GBI) executive director Ward Hubbell had the opportunity to address some of the nation's most forward-thinking leaders at a special session titled, "solving the nation's energy and environmental crisis."

The session held significant meaning for attendees, as the council recently signed its support for the 2030 Challenge, a plan to achieve zero green house gas emissions from the nation's buildings by the year 2030.

"I applaud the mayors for their support of the ambitious 2030 Challenge goal," said Hubbell. "I think it's achievable, quite simply, because it has to be. This is a real opportunity for our mayors to not only be the architects of their own cities, but also the architects of a global solution to the energy crisis and the climatic challenges of our planet."

Hubbell also made the case that green building must be a cornerstone of the strategy to achieve the goals of the 2030 Challenge. "When you consider the fact that 40 percent of the nation's energy is consumed by buildings and 38 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions come from building, it is clear that green building strategies can play a large role in achieving our targets," added Hubbell.

Hubbell presented on a panel of experts that included:

• Dr. Heidi Cullen, The Weather Channel
• Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council
• Michelle Wymann, executive director of the International Council for Local Environmental Issues (ICLEI)
• The Honorable Greg Nickels, mayor of Seattle, Wash.
• The Honorable Will Wynn, mayor of Austin, Tex.
• The Honorable Patrick McCrory, mayor of Charlotte, NC
• The Honorable Beverly O'Neill, mayor of Long Beach, Calif.
• The Honorable James Brainard, mayor of Carmel, Ind.

In addition to making the case for establishing green building as a cornerstone of their 2030 Challenge strategies, Hubbell also encouraged the audience to embrace a range of credible ideas and tools, including rating systems like the GBI's Green Globes™ rating system, the USGBC's LEED® system and any other rating protocols that might be available to help them better design and assess the environmental performance of their buildings.

For more information about the GBI visit www.thegbi.org.

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.