We’re excited about joining with Southface, our Atlanta regional affiliate, to introduce Greenbuild’s attendees to one of the most vibrant green markets in the country. Southface has been integral to the growth of green building in Atlanta. Because we partner with Southface, our Atlanta Chapter is a kind of “superchapter,” formed in 2001 to advance and promote the sustainable planning, design, construction and operation of the region’s buildings, landscapes, cities and communities. It’s this strong partnership that has made for an exciting year of planning and creativity leading up to what will be the best Greenbuild yet.

Southface was already one of the beacons in the green building movement when USGBC was founded 12 years ago. Today USGBC is more than 6,000 organizational members strong, with a robust chapter program, a strong education and advocacy program, and a commitment to an open, transparent and consensus-based process that brings together the best practices in green building.

Working together with Southface and other thought leaders, USGBC has spent the last five years advancing knowledge and evolving green building standards. Known throughout the industry as the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, USGBC’s voluntary standard defines sustainable design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of buildings. LEED was eagerly embraced by the building industry, and today is the accepted national standard—and increasingly the international standard—for high performance green buildings.

You need only to look around Atlanta to see what Southface, with its commitment to LEED, has accomplished. At Atlantic Station, Southface offered a new means to achieve valuable LEED credits, bringing the project closer to becoming the first LEED certified community development. At the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Southface provided the technical expertise for the Food Bank’s LEED Certified building, and will develop a toolkit on green building for nonprofit organizations. Southface provides the kind of regional leadership that USGBC envisions for communities across the country.

We hope everyone will join us under the very large roof of the Georgia World Congress Center November 9-11 to experience the best of what the industry has to offer. From thought-provoking educational sessions to the camaraderie of other green-minded individuals, from workshop tours showcasing Atlanta’s green projects to opportunities to experience all of Atlanta’s graceful charms, Greenbuild is an event you don’t want to miss.

Rick Fedrizzi President, CEO & Founding Chairman, U.S. Green Building Council