Helping to transform communities
USGBC California (U.S. Green Building Council California) is an independent nonprofit unifying six regional communities across the state that were originally founded in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). USGBC California’s vision is to help transform communities across California to become more sustainable, resilient and equitable for all through direct community engagement, workforce development and education.
The new structure and entity create a centralized entry point where anyone can engage with and become part of the green building movement, help increase grassroots engagement in our local communities, and position California as a national and global leader in sustainable building design, construction, and operations. The organization will bring together all stakeholders from industry executives and workers to residents and youth in one unified platform across the state.
The regional chapters, which all have 20-plus years of history in their communities, will maintain their strength of knowledge and respective local leadership through Regional Advisory Boards, within the umbrella of USGBC California’s unified platform. These include (from south to north): San Diego (SDGBC), Orange County (USGBC-OC), Los Angeles (USGBC-LA), Central Coast (CCGBC), Northern California (USGBC Northern California), and Redwood Empire (USGBC Redwood Empire).
As an entity, the U.S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles (USGBC-LA), an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit since 2002, will change its name to USGBC California, and its digital platform, programming, and staff will transition to serve the whole state. Ben Stapleton, executive director of USGBC-LA since 2019, will become executive director for USGBC California. A regional volunteer leadership group will be formed to run a new Los Angeles Chapter.
“California is a global leader in the fight against climate change. Standing as the 5th largest economy in the world, our state is experiencing the increasing impacts of climate change and yet, has an enormous opportunity to be a profound part of the solution. This comes with unique challenges that require a unified, collaborative approach in order for us all to adapt, grow, and thrive,” Stapleton said. “Buildings account for more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in California, and everyone should feel empowered to reduce those impacts. We will strive to accelerate action against climate change on a local level and uplift our collective voice to influence policy, advocacy and programming to better support our communities in addressing climate resilience and occupant health.”
“California plays a crucial role in advancing sustainability efforts not only within the state, but on a national scale, setting an example and inspiring similar initiatives elsewhere,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC. “By bringing together aligned chapters, USGBC California is creating a stronger unified voice for promoting environmentally friendly practices in the built environment. We look forward to working closely with USGBC California to accelerate the transition towards healthy, resilient, equitable and sustainable buildings and communities.”
Washington, D.C.-based USGBC will actively partner with USGBC California to help support the rapid decarbonization of the California economy and improve the health, resilience, environmental quality, and social equity of California communities by improving the design, construction, and operation of buildings. They will also work together to grow a thriving, diverse coalition of organizations and professionals committed to improving the built environment and positively influencing state and local policy outcomes.
The new organization will focus much of its effort on accelerating positive change through both existing and new initiatives that can be rolled out statewide for greater regional impact led by local community members, leveraging USGBC California’s digital platform, content, and tools.
