For Immediate Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Charles G. Chartier, Jr. 504.450.4681 [email protected] Anisa Baldwin Metzger 504.592.0160 [email protected]

U.S. Green Building Council Sends 8 Louisiana Advocates to D.C. Group will educate members of Congress on benefits of high performance building New Orleans, LA – September 15, 2009 – Eight Louisiana delegates have been selected by USGBC National to participate in a two-day advocacy training and visit to Capitol Hill. The group will be traveling to Washington D.C. on September 22 and 23 to speak with Louisiana’s congressional members about the benefits of green building for Louisiana’s businesses and individuals. The delegates are active members of the USGBC Louisiana chapter, which was founded by a diverse group of building industry professionals in 2004. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 38% of total energy use nationwide, as well as 71% of electricity. Accordingly, 13.6 % of all potable water in the U.S. is consumed through use in buildings. Aside from environmental concerns, there are also socio-economic issues to be addressed through green building, as it is an investment that pays itself off in the short term, and also has the ability to save families and individuals money in the long term. For example, low-income households spend, on average, 19.5% of their annual income on home energy costs alone. Environmentally responsible building is one possible way to address these issues, as well as many others simultaneously. After the group participates in a training and education program aimed at updating them on key federal policy issues related to green building, the two-day D.C. itinerary will continue on the following day with a full schedule of meetings with the Louisiana Congressional Delegation. This will be a unique opportunity to challenge the members of Congress that represent the state of Louisiana to address job creation, coastal restoration, reduced energy usage, and other issues that face the state, by considering the benefits of more responsible building practices. The eight individuals traveling to the nation’s capitol are as follows: • • • • • • • •

Anisa Baldwin Metzger, USGBC New Orleans Green Building Coordinator Mary Katherine Bruce, FutureProof Charles G. Chartier, Jr., InterfaceFLOR USGBC-LA Advocacy Chair Grasshopper Mendoza, NAI/Latter & Blum Inc. John Moore, City of New Orleans Chad Odom, Louisiana Thinks Regina Philson, USGBC Louisiana Chapter Thomas Rush, USGBC Advocacy Committee Member

USGBC’s Mission: To transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life for all people.

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