By The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and USGBC’s Northern California Chapter (USGBC-NCC) have revealed that 13 companies in California have committed to the California Best Buildings Challenge, totaling more than six million square feet of collective building space.
Bayer, Integral Group, Lockheed Martin, Method, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Webcor Builders, and XL Construction join existing Challenge participants Adobe, Genentech, Google, Prudential Real Estate Investors, SAP, and Zynga.
Inspired by the White House’s Better Buildings Challenge that seeks 20 percent energy reductions by 2020, participating companies of the California Best Buildings Challenge commit to pursue 20 percent reductions in energy, water, and waste in their existing commercial buildings in just two years.
“California companies have always been trail blazers,” said Dan Geiger, Executive Director, USGBC-NCC. “When President Obama initiated the Better Buildings Challenge, we thought California firms could go further with the California Best Buildings Challenge. In the lead up to Greenbuild coming to its birthplace San Francisco, these firms are stepping up to pursue aggressive environmental goals in a landmark accelerated time frame - and most importantly, to inspire others to do the same.”
USGBC-NCC initiated and developed the Challenge, which was launched by USGBC and USGBC-NCC with President Clinton at the closing plenary event of the 2012 Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America), a meeting focused on finding solutions for economic recovery in the United States. The California Best Buildings Challenge was selected by CGI America as an exemplary approach to addressing challenges in the clean electricity and efficiency space. Watch the launch; watch Rick Fedrizzi’s pre-launch announcement.
“Watching the California Best Buildings Challenge gain momentum and grow has been exciting, and cements the idea that green building and efficient business practices go hand-in-hand,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chairman, USGBC. “The Challenge participants are bona fide leaders in the sustainable business movement, and we hope California-based companies and beyond will follow suit.”
“Some of the companies are committing to pursue the Challenge in already very efficient, even LEED Platinum, buildings,” said Ashleigh Talberth of USGBC-NCC, Director, California Best Buildings Challenge. “This Challenge could kick start a new wave of unprecedented, cutting-edge sustainability.”
The Sept. 20 event was attended by 150 regional executives as part of USGBC-NCC’s Road to Greenbuild effort to build momentum for the largest industry conference in the world – Greenbuild International Conference and Expo - coming to San Francisco this Nov. 14 to 16. The luncheon will feature a keynote address by Rick Fedrizzi, remarks by Dan Geiger, and an on-stage announcement lauding the new and initial California Best Buildings Challenge participants. Executives from the participating companies will appear on stage.
