News

Link to Spectrum News 1 (Feb. 20, 2025) | More than 16,000 homes and structures were destroyed by the Los Angeles-area fires, leaving many homeowners looking for a wildfire defense approach as they rebuild. It’s a position California residents have been increasingly facing, as wildfires become more common in the state. In response, the California Office of Emergency […]

Link to Sustainability Magazine (Feb. 20, 2025) | On average, Los Angeles (LA) produces 30 million tonnes of waste each year, with the majority heading to landfill. To tackle this issue, The Port of LA (PLA) is committed to achieving zero waste within its facilities and property boundaries. …”Driving forward the clean energy transition in […]

Link to CSM (Feb. 10, 2025) | Weeks after fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures in Greater Los Angeles, thousands of people are living where they can: in hotel rooms, in long-term rentals, with family or friends. …But rebuilding quickly and with objectives like resilience and efficiency doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive, says Amy […]

Link to LAist (Feb. 7, 2025) | Lithium–ion batteries have been making headlines since the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires broke out a month ago. From concerns about evacuating in an electric vehicle, to the challenges of cleaning up these batteries, we spoke with experts about how society grapples with worsening disasters largely fueled by the […]

Link to Los Angeles Times (Jan. 30, 2025) | If we want to build a safer future for Los Angeles, we can’t keep repeating the mistakes of the past. …Climate advocates are alarmed by the apparent rush to rethink clean energy rules. Ben Stapleton serves as executive director of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council California, […]

Link to Bloomberg (Jan. 17, 2025) | California politicians are rushing to make it easier for residents to rebuild their homes incinerated in the Los Angeles firestorms. That means waiving green construction mandates designed to combat climate change — which is driving such conflagrations by making conditions hotter and drier — as well as suspending environmental […]

Link to LA CityView35 (Dec. 6, 2024) | Mayor Karen Bass was joined by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and LA’s Department of Water & Power [and USGBC-CA] to announce more green jobs, historic electric vehicle infrastructure expansion, and improved alternative water access. (Watch full segment; USGBC-CA Exec. Dir. Ben Stapleton at 11:00 min. mark)

Link to SD Union-Tribune / Encinitas Advocate (Nov. 12, 2024) | Earlier this year, the City of Encinitas, Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Green Building Council California partnered to create a local Encinitas Green Business Network. As a result of the partnership, businesses have numerous resources to advance sustainable business practices and are able […]

Link to Architect’s Newspaper (Nov. 11, 2024) | What do architecture, construction, climate, and real estate industry leaders have to say about the 2024 U.S. Presidential election results? … U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC): Ben Stapleton, executive director of USGBC California, said that, after this latest election season, the path for climate experts has […]

Link to Architectural Products (Sept./Oct. 2024, pgs 14-16) | What was once a novelty has become the norm. Green Building, sustainability, and efficient use of resources is a given in nearly every new architectural design, as well as for major renovation projects. But what about net zero? When it comes to carbon, waste, water, and […]

Link to Culver City Crossroads (Sept. 12, 2024) | “It’s clear the entertainment industry is keen on accelerating action to address climate change, and we are excited to have Amazon MGM Studios take the initiative and lead the way,” says USGBC-CA Executive Director Ben Stapleton. “We want entertainment workers along all points of the value chain, […]

Link to PRODU Sostenible (August 25, 2024) | El U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA) – junto con los segmentos de cine y TV, música y deportes en vivo de EE UU– anunció la Certificación de Producción Sostenible para el Entretenimiento (SPEC), una certificación centrada en la fuerza laboral que eleva a los individuos a […]