About Us

Green roofs and solar arrays top many of the buildings in Battery Park City.

Urban Green Council is the New York Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Urban Green's mission is to lead the advancement of sustainability in the urban built environment, and serve as a model for other cities through education, advocacy, collaboration and research.

Our vision is to see cities that coexist in harmony with their natural environment and contribute to the health and well-being of all.

A non-profit organization established in 2002, Urban Green is supported by contributions from members and sponsors, as well as foundation grants. Our focus is on New York City, Rockland and Westchester. Supported by our in-house experts and a dedicated network of volunteers, our efforts are transforming the metropolitan area and creating models that can be replicated elsewhere.

Urban green provides a wide range of educational, and networking events for our 1,500 members and the green building community at large; conducts research; and advocates for change that will make cities more sustainable. Our website and newsletter (circ. 8,500+) reach an audience comprised mostly of professionals working in architecture, engineering, design, construction, real estate development and management, product development and manufacturing, government, and other related fields.

LEED

Urban Green provides Study Groups and Workshops for people who are interested in becoming LEED Accredited Professionals. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system is a voluntary, consensus-based standard to support and certify successful green building design, construction, and operations. LEED provides a framework, guidelines and certification system to promote integrated, whole-building design practices. Visit the Green Building Certification Institute for more information.

Urban Green Council's Carbon Footprint

Global warming is one of the most pressing issues we face today, and Urban Green Council is doing our part to balance the carbon impact of our operations. Working with renewable energy and carbon offset firm Renewable Choice, Urban Green offsets our carbon footprint with renewable energy credits (RECs) and carbon offsets from wind farms, small hydroplants and methane capture facilities. This has an environmental impact similar to keeping 122,105 pounds of CO₂out of the atmosphere, which is equivalent to planting 502 trees.

Urban Green Council also follows environmentally preferable purchasing guidelines, and works with local vendors to source items like 100% post consumer waste paper, recycled glass containers and dishware, and green cleaning supplies. Employees of the chapter are encouraged to use public transportation for their commutes and for travel to and from events. Urban Green Council's office also follows the LEED guidelines, and features occupancy sensors, recycling stations, low VOC paints, sealants, and stains. We diverted almost all of our construction debris from the landfill.