USGBC New York is Urban Green Council

Rest assured, we are still the New York chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council! We’ll continue to offer high quality educational events and programs, provide useful resources, and advocate for a sustainable city.

So what’s with the new name and new look?

First, we want to convey that being green isn’t all hearts and flowers. It’s about practical people, looking to the future, using resources smartly, and scrutinizing the return on investment. That’s why we undertake important research projects, like a soon-to-be-released Cost Study that documents the financial impact of green choices, and a training program that will prepare tens of thousands of the city’s contractors and trades for the green jobs of the future.

Second, sustainability is all about site-specific, local solutions. We are focused on the New York metropolitan area, the uber-urban environment. But we also are intent on creating models for other cities, and learning from their successes. Projects like the Green Codes Task Force will have a major impact on NYC and establish a standard that other municipalities can draw from.

Finally, Urban Green suggests a place where people meet, the town square or commons. Urban Green Council is where the city’s green building community meets. We offer scores of events: courses to help you prepare for your LEED AP exam, technical round table, monthly salon, tours of green buildings throughout the city, panels, lectures, master classes and more. A new series, Oppositions, explores all sides of controversial issues. In the fall, we’ll launch Urban Green Expo, an annual trade show and educational conference designed to meet the unique needs of the densely developed urban environment at a challenging economic moment. New initiatives will invite all New Yorkers, not just the usual suspects, into the green. Urban Green Council is the place to make connections, share your vision, and build the future.

This is an incredibly exciting time for the sustainable building community. From government to energy, transportation to financing, the world in which buildings and neighborhoods are designed, built, operated and occupied is shifting radically. We invite you to attend our events, subscribe to our newsletter, and become a member.

Be a part of the Urban Green future.

Russell Unger Executive Director	Susan D. Kaplan Chair, Board of Directors

P.S. We had the privilege of working with Michael Bierut and Jennifer Kinon at Pentagram, one of the best companies in the business. We think they communicated the 400 words above in a brilliant little logo. Thanks, Pentagram!