US Dept. of Defense, which manages nearly 300,000 buildings worldwide covering 2.3 billion sq. ft., recognizes Green Building Initiative's Green Globes building assessment, certification program
Audrey Dixon
PORTLAND, Oregon
,
December 3, 2013
(press release)
–
The Green Building Initiative (GBI) announced that its Green Globes® building assessment and certification program has been accepted for use by the United States Department of Defense (DoD). Following the lead of the General Services Administration (GSA), the DoD recently recognized Green Globes as an approved program for DoD facilities. The GBI noted that the DoD manages over 500 installations worldwide comprising nearly 300,000 buildings covering 2.3 billion square feet. The Department's footprint is 6 times larger than that of the GSA. Previously DoD's policy had referenced only the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program. The updated policy to also allow use of Green Globes was made in a memorandum of November 10, 2013 from John Conger, Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, regarding the Department's Sustainable Building Policy.
"The GBI provides a technically rigorous, flexible, and cost-effective alternative for green building certification," stated Ray Tonjes, Chairman of GBI and president of Ray Tonjes Builder from Austin, Tex. "It is gratifying to see recognition by the federal government accompany the increasing use of Green Globes by commercial building designers, owners, and managers in the private sector. This validates our work in providing a transparent and consensus-driven rating system to the market."
GBI's tools have a significant focus on both the reduction and efficient use of energy and water in buildings. These, along with other criteria, help reduce building operating costs and their overall impact on the environment. "Since 2005, the Green Globes product line has evolved to include several updated and expanded tools," stated Erin Shaffer, vice president of federal outreach at GBI.
The GBI product line includes:
Shaffer adds, "Our customer service team and onsite third-party assessments with highly qualified, well vetted assessors are key differentiators for those in the market seeking a smarter way to assess and certify green buildings."
About Green Globes - Green Globes is a web-based program for green building guidance and certification that includes an on-site assessment by a third party. Backed by comprehensive customer support, Green Globes offers a streamlined and affordable way to advance the overall environmental performance and sustainability of commercial buildings. It is suitable for a wide range of buildings including offices, multi-family structures, hospitals, and institutional buildings such as courthouses, schools, and universities.
About the Green Building Initiative™ - The GBI is a nonprofit organization and ANSI Standards Developer dedicated to accelerating the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches. Founded in 2004, the organization is the U.S. provider of the Green Globes and Guiding Principles Compliance building certification programs.
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