Take Action NOW to Support the Federal Governments Sustainability Goals and Support the LEED Rating System

Dear USGBC Nebraska Flatwater Chapter Members:

In just 12 short years, we have seen the green building industry grow into an economic powerhouse in part because of the crystallization of the LEED building rating system. LEED allowed the best minds in the building industry to show the world the benefits of better products, better designs, better engineering, and better buildings. LEED has now grown into the most widely used high-performance building rating system in the world.  From those humble beginnings, today more than 12,300 commercial projects and over 20,000 residential units have achieved LEED certification.  An additional 1.6 million square feet of space is certified every day.  

The business case for LEED is unassailable.  It saves U.S. businesses and taxpayers millions of dollars every year.  Furthermore, an organization's participation in the voluntary LEED process demonstrates leadership, innovation, conservation stewardship and social responsibility – All reasons why small businesses, Fortune 100 companies, homeowners, governments and non-governmental organizations are using LEED to save money and save resources every day.      

But our rapid growth has rattled the status quo.  Currently, a lobbying campaign is trying to water down – or even eliminate – green building practices for federal buildings.     

In response to this lobbying effort, the USGBC Nebraska Flatwater Chapter has signed onto the national USGBC support letter that will be delivered to the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) on July 25^th.

We encourage all of our members to educate themselves about this important issue and read the letter to GSA. Then, by clicking here, you can sign onto the letter and demonstrate your organization’s support of the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) sustainability goals and their continued use of the LEED rating system

Sincerely,

Chad Johansen
Vice Chair / Advocacy Chair
USGBC Nebraska Flatwater Chapter