The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is set to receive a $3 million grant from Google, which will be used to develop new transparency tools, engage stakeholders across the United States and support research on building materials and health.
“Healthy, non-toxic building materials are a critical component in green building,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC president and CEO. “Fostering awareness of the materials we put into our buildings is of paramount importance, since many materials can link to a host of environmental and health issues. Working with Google enables us to broaden our efforts in the materials industry as we prepare for the next version of the LEED green building program, LEED v4. This updated rating system will paint a more complete picture of materials and products, enabling project teams to make more informed decisions.”
“USGBC has a deep background in spearheading research, developing a rating system spanning the globe and engaging with the many stakeholders in the building industry, making them the perfect partner to help spur real change on the healthy materials front,” said , Google’s Green Team Lead Anthony Ravitz.
“Improving the indoor environment, increasing materials transparency and advancing the understanding of materials’ impact on health are critical targets for the LEED program as it continues to evolve,” said Scot Horst, senior VP, LEED, USGBC. “Ultimately, we are looking to create overall benefit for the environment and for human health.”
The new initiatives will be developed over the next two years.
