The green building movement represents a significant opportunity for economic growth in the United States, according to former President Bill Clinton, who delivered the opening keynote address at Greenbuild 2007.
Clinton said the growing green building industry packs economic power with its ability to generate new jobs and stimulate new businesses, making an economic case for sustainable construction and the fight against climate change, which he called “perhaps the most important cause in which we can be engaged.”
Before he began his address, Clinton accepted a plaque from U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi recognizing that Clinton’s presidential library in Little Rock has earned Platinum-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Clinton also discussed the work of the Clinton Climate Initiative and introduced several new partnerships between that organization and others that will work to promote sustainable building in schools and retrofit existing construction for energy efficiency.
The Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) will partner with the city of Chicago to enable a green overhaul of privately-owned housing around the city, as well as two major landmarks, the Sears Tower and the Merchandise Mart. CCI will also partner with GE Real Estate to identify and implement building retrofit projects across GE Real Estate’s global portfolio. In addition, along with the USGBC and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), CCI will create a Green Schools Program to retrofit schools and universities across America.
Clinton said the foundation’s goal is to put into action the good intentions of those who want to fight climate change. He said that as throughout this decade, new jobs have paid less than the one’s the country has lost, the green building industry presents a “staggering economic opportunity” that the U.S. can capitalize on “in ways that make economic sense.”
More information about the Clinton Foundation is available at www.ClintonFoundation.org and more information about the USGBC is available at www.usgbc.org.
Greenbuild was held Nov. 7-9 in Chicago. More information is available at www.greenbuildexpo.org.
