MAYOR BILL WHITE ESTABLISHES ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR GREEN BUILDINGS

October 25, 2007 -- Mayor Bill White today announced the creation of an advisory panel to assist him in educating Houstonians about the benefits of high performance buildings. Panelists will share their experience with the design, construction and operation of green buildings.

In his State of the City address earlier this year, Mayor White declared "this year we shall take some giant steps to promote more sustainable and affordable growth by using our resources more efficiently and eliminating waste." The owners of LEED certified buildings serving on this panel are already doing that. They know their buildings are operating efficiently by design.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) awards points by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. LEED certification has thus far been attained by only a handful of Houston buildings. As understanding and appreciation of the benefits grows, so will the number of high performance buildings. The City has taken the lead by adopting the Green Building Resolution, which set a target of Silver level LEED certification for new construction, replacement facilities and major renovations of city of Houston owned buildings and facilities with more than 10, 000 square feet of occupied space.

In cooperation with the City of Houston and the Greater Houston Partnership, each of the Advisory Committee members has agreed to host an open house in their LEED certified building. Citizens will be able to tour the facilities and learn about what makes them green.

The City of Houston and the advisory panel will work together to teach citizens of Houston the importance of green building. Green buildings promote sustainable development that ultimately reduces the cost of living and improves the quality of life for Houstonians. For more information, the City encourages citizens to visit www.houstonpowertopeople.com. The City is currently working on a separate educational website solely dedicated to educating Houstonians about green building.