Cascadia Region Green Building Council
Organization Details
| Location | 1100 - 111 Dunsmuir Street Vancouver, BC V6B 6A3 Canada |
|---|---|
| Contact | Joyce Shen |
| joyce.shen@cascadiagbc.org | |
| Telephone | 604.909.9559 |
| Website | www.cascadiagbc.org |
Cascadia’s mission is to promote the design, construction and operation of buildings and communities that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and British Columbia.
Cascadia is devoted to providing its members the most cutting edge learning opportunities, a network through which members can easily find the information they need and make the connections they want for personal or business benefit, and a voice of leadership on the most critical issues of our time.
The Cascadia Region Green Building Council is one of three original chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council and, as a chapter of the Canada Green Building Council as well, is the only international chapter in North America. Incorporated in Oregon in December 1999, the chapter covers Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska, but also includes members from as far away as Idaho and Montana. Cascadia continues to serve its members by helping the U.S. and Canada Green Building Councils meet their goals in the Pacific Northwest. We strive to become a leading force in green building by forging alliances with organizations that have a stake in the future of this region.
The chapter is named for the Cascadia bioregion, which covers land that drains to the Pacific Ocean through the greatest temperate rain forests on the planet. Members of the Cascadia council are leading the way in creating a roadmap for sustainable building, one that the rest of the nation can use as well. Many key developments have already occurred, including:
* The City of Vancouver adopted a minimum requirement of LEED™ Gold for all new civic buildings greater than 500 square meters.
* The City of Seattle adopted a sustainable building policy and became the first city in the nation to adopt LEED™, the U.S. Green Building Council's green building rating system, as the municipal design standard and performance measurement tool.
* The city of Portland also adopted a green building policy and funded a Green Building Initiative, which is designed to expand market demand and provide technical services and resources for the building industry.