As the building sector accounts for significant global greenhouse gas emissions, prioritizing decarbonization directly serves the public interest. Every day, more projects are committing to zero carbon emission goals, and more buildings are achieving these conditions. Through its certifications, the U.S. Green Building Council has always pushed development to exceed existing codes. 

With offerings now expanding beyond the single building, USGBC seeks to reach beyond traditional networks and inspire decarbonization at scale. LEED for Cities is a comprehensive framework and certification program for sustainability that takes into account extensive local government experience and engagement with diverse stakeholders. The program calls for expanded public-private networks to decarbonize cities, towns, and counties jurisdiction-wide, and to reduce barriers to the development of LEED buildings.

Through its PERFORM program, USGBC offers a portfolio-wide approach to planning, improving and verifying sustainability and resilience, including GHG emissions. PERFORM builds on USGBC’s decades of expertise as a market accelerator by partnering with and supporting organizations around the world to achieve their portfolio goals. Decarbonization is a central focus of the soon-to-be-released LEED v5 for both new and existing buildings. With a strong emphasis on climate action and quality of life, LEED v5 aims to serve as a decarbonization mechanism.

This session will highlight municipalities that have certified under LEED for Cities and will explore the ways in which the USGBC is growing the movement of decarbonized and sustainable development.