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GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVE™ NOW OFFERS FREE USE OF GREEN GLOBES™ NEW CONSTRUCTION MODULE FOR PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATES

Portland, Ore. (March 23, 2007) — The Green Building Initiative™ (GBI) announced today that it is offering free use of the Green Globes™ environmental assessment and rating system to professional affiliates who join the GBI, with the number of uses dependent on the level of affiliation.

Professional firms engaged in the design and construction of commercial buildings can join the GBI for $2,500 a year and receive, among other things, unlimited use of Green Globes for New Construction at no additional charge. Firms that don't have a need for unlimited use can join the organization for $500 or $1,500 a year and receive access to the tool for one or three projects, respectively.

Green Globes is a web-based green management tool that includes an assessment protocol, rating system and guide for integrating environmentally-friendly design into commercial structures. It features modules for New Construction and the Continual Improvement of Existing Buildings and facilitates recognition of completed projects through third-party verification. Suitable for any size project, it's a real-time, interactive and affordable approach to environmental design.

"The decision to make Green Globes available at no additional charge to our affiliates is an important step toward the GBI's goal of providing credible and practical approaches to improving the performance of green buildings," said Ward Hubbell, executive director of the GBI. "It is our belief that moves such as this will help make green building more accessible to the mainstream design and construction community."

As with all Green Globes projects, use of the tool covers the initial assessment only, which occurs in two phases: during the schematic design stage (which corresponds with site plan approval), and the construction documents stage (which typically corresponds with building permit approval). This allows design teams and clients to review a detailed report that provides not only the percentage of points likely to be achieved (out of a possible 1,000), but an overview of the project's environmental attributes and suggestions for improvement.

Buildings can be promoted as having earned a Green Globes rating once they undergo a third-party verification, which includes a comprehensive review of documentation and a post-construction on-site inspection. Third-party verification is covered by an additional fee.

To learn more about the GBI's levels of professional affiliation and their related benefits, please visit www.thegbi.org.

About Green Globes:
Green Globes is a revolutionary green management tool that includes an assessment protocol, rating system and guide for integrating high performance environmental design into commercial buildings. It features modules for New Construction and the Continual Improvement of Existing Buildings and, once complete, facilitates recognition of the project through third-party verification. It's a practical, interactive and real-time approach to environmental design. For more information about Green Globes, please 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.