Philadelphia Embraces Green Building with LEED Bill

Philadelphia Embraces Green Building with LEED Bill

January 19, 2010, Philadelphia, PA - The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) applauds the Philadelphia City Council and Mayor Nutter for their leadership in passing and signing into law a bill that requires all new large City projects to comply with nationally recognized LEED standards.

“This bill will improve the environmental quality of Philadelphia by helping to change the design and construction marketplace, reduce the City’s utility bills, provide healthier work environments, and help create green jobs,” said Janet Milkman, Executive Director of DVGBC.

In pursuing this green building path, Philadelphia will join Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, the School District of Philadelphia and other organizations, and would meet one of the recommendations of Building Green: Overcoming Barriers in Philadelphia, a report published in 2008 by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and endorsed by Mayor Nutter. The action also achieves one of the Mayor’s own goals as part of the City’s Greenworks Philadelphia plan.

Jason Hartke, VP of National Policy at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), also voiced support. “I want to congratulate Mayor Nutter, the City of Philadelphia,” he said. “By embracing ‘Leadership by Example’ for city-funded building projects, Philadelphians will reap the benefits of green building, including tremendous opportunities to save energy, save the city money and help create jobs.”

“In practice, this bill will create a core group of public buildings, several new and retrofitted buildings every year, which would demonstrate how green building can be easily accomplished in the City – and then would become models for further market penetration,” said Dan Garofalo, Director of Sustainability at the University of Pennsylvania and a DVGBC Board member.

Buildings in the U.S. represent 39% of primary energy use, account for 38% of all CO2 emissions, and use 13.6 % of all potable water. Green buildings consume less energy, produce fewer greenhouse gases, have lower maintenance costs, and higher occupant satisfaction than comparable buildings.
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About DVGBC and USGBC
The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to transform the Delaware Valley through sustainable and environmentally responsible planning, design, construction and operation of the region’s buildings, landscapes, cities and communities, mindful of the legacy left for future generations.

Formed in 2001, DVGBC is a chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. USGBC is the primary point of contact for users, agencies, and companies interested in creating sustainable communities. The objectives of implementing green building practices include improving site planning, safeguarding water and ensuring its efficient use, maximizing energy efficiency, conserving materials and resources, and ensuring indoor environmental quality in order to significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on their occupants and on our environment.