“The USGBC is honored to have been chosen as the recipient of the National Building Museum’s prestigious Turner Prize,” said Rick Fedrizzi, USGBC President, CEO, and Founding Chair. “Five years ago, when USGBC staff and volunteers created LEED, we never could have imagined the market transformation that would follow. USGBC and LEED bring together the entire building industry in an effort to lead a national consensus on green building.”

The USGBC has been a primary catalyst in the sustainable design movement, helping “Green Building” become a significant trend in design and construction. As a steadfast advocate of “green” design, the USGBC stimulates new building technologies and practices.

LEED is a voluntary rating system that evaluates the impact of buildings on their surroundings. LEED emphasizes new strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED was initially created to establish a common standard of measurement; to define “Green Building;” to promote integrated, whole-building design practices; and to raise awareness of green building benefits. The program also acknowledges environmental leadership in the building industry and thus provide further incentives for green.

Over 2100 new construction projects have registered with the intent to seek LEED certification and approximately 260 have earned one of the four levels of LEED certification. Government agencies are increasingly instituting requirements and incentives for LEED certification of public projects. The State of Washington recently instituted the LEED standards for all new state buildings. The USGBC has also developed LEED rating systems for existing buildings and commercial interiors. LEED standards for residences and neighborhood developments are in development.

“Since its inception in 1993, the USGBC has made a tremendous contribution through its various activities, including education and policy making, and has greatly influenced the process of construction through its development of the LEED certification program,” said Thomas C. Leppert, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Turner Corporation. “As a leader in the sustainable construction industry and one of the corporate sponsors of LEED, Turner believes the USGBC is very deserving of this honor as the fourth recipient of the Henry C. Turner Prize.”

The National Building Museum’s Henry C. Turner Prize recognizes an invention, an innovative methodology, and/or exceptional leadership by an individual or team of individuals in construction technology. This includes construction techniques, innovations and practices, construction and project management, and engineering design. The Prize is named after the founder of Turner Construction Company. The first recipient was structural engineer Leslie E. Robertson in 2002, followed by architect I.M Pei, in 2003 and engineer and builder Charles A. DeBenedittis in 2004. The Prize carries a cash award of $25,000 from an endowment established by Turner Construction Company.

The Prize will be awarded to the USGBC at a ceremony at the National Building Museum in Washington DC, on October 24. The evening’s public program will highlight the importance of the USGBC’s contributions to green design and construction.

The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation's leading coalition of corporations, builders, universities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations working together to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.