President's Message

Welcome to 2012! It was an unbelievable year. The U.S. Green Building Council - Nevada Chapter accomplished several significant milestones over the past two years, and it is just the beginning. In 2011, USGBC - Nevada qualified as a USGBC Education Provider offering ten courses for continuing education credit; collaborated with Green Chips to hold the first Convene for Green Sustainability Summit; revamped our website which now includes an interactive, on-line member management system, and hired an Executive Director. And we are just getting started.

USGBC - Nevada’s goal is to be the premier resource for sustainability in the state and to provide information and resources in a simple and concise way. Whether it is information that can increase the energy efficiency of your home or implementing a recycling program for a business complex, USGBC has the answers.

The Board or Directors are determined and organized experts in sustainability and education. USGBC - Nevada collaborates with organizations and agencies around the state to promote and advocate for the improvement of buildings, homes and communities. Our vision is for Nevada to become a model for sustainable living.

A new program for 2012 will be the launch of the “Green Schools” initiative. By improving energy efficiency, air quality and the working environment, performance will increase and costs will decrease. The realized savings in operating costs can provide some relief to school budgets and provide revenue to improve our education system. Beyond the obvious and immediate cost savings, envision an education system where children are taught conservation of resources as well as writing and arithmetic. A system, where a sense of community can be fostered by building a public garden or participating in a neighborhood recycling campaign; where children can breathe clean air and have natural daylight in which to study. Envision an education system that teaches our children to teach our community.

Continued outreach to our elected officials will also be prominent. It is important for our community leaders to understand that retrofitting existing buildings will decrease energy consumption, save money and provide additional revenue to our state by employing contractors and putting Nevadans back to work. In addition to working with state and federal officials to find ways to remove regulatory roadblocks and provide meaningful incentives, we will continue to work with the cities and counties by celebrating their success and providing resources for continued improvement.

Lastly and most importantly, our goal is to give back to the community. As stewards, our volunteer organization believes we can make a difference and make Nevada a model for sustainable living, a great place to live, work and raise a family.

If these ideas appeal to you, I invite you to join the chapter, get involved and make a difference.

Sincerely,

Dave Ray
President,
U.S. Green Building Council - Nevada Chapter