CEO David Gottfried Awarded WorldGBC Green Building Entrepreneurship Award

TORONTO, CANADA, October 4, 2011—David Gottfried—founder of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the World Green Building Council, Regenerative Network, and inventor of the concept of the LEED® green building rating system—was awarded the inaugural World Green Building Council Global Green Building Entrepreneurship Award.

Gottfried, the first President of the USGBC, was presented the award by current WorldGBC Chairman, Tony Arnel, at the Chairman’s Awards Gala Dinner on October 3rd.

The annual awards dinner, the world’s only global green building awards, celebrated the “global green building industry’s accomplishments, and acknowledge[d] the individuals who have contributed to the rapid green transformation of the global property and construction industry.”

In following years, the Entrepreneurship Award, which will be awarded annually, will be titled the “David Gottfried Global Green Building Entrepreneurship Award.”

“David was selected by the WorldGBC board for his distinguished lifetime achievement and contribution to the development and growth of the global green building industry.” –Tony Arnel, Chairman of WorldGBC

“An author, green building activist and keen entrepreneur, David is an inspirational role model for the global property and construction industry. David has been a passionate crusader of the green building council model, which is driving a worldwide transition to sustainable building practices,” said Arnel.

The World Green Building Council and U.S. Green Building Council are now the largest green building organizations in the world, and the fastest growing nonprofits in the world.

Recipients of the Recognition of Service Award to retiring board members for their contributions to the WorldGBC and the green building industry included:
• César Treviño, President of the Mexico GBC
• Dr Chilin Cheng, founder and board member of the Chinese-Taipei Green Building Council
• Parasu Raman, founder of the India GBC.

Recipients of the Chairman’s Award for individuals who have made a significant contribution to the global green building movement included:
• Founding WorldGBC board member Ché Wall from Lend Lease, who was first Chairman of the WorldGBC
• WorldGBC Legal Counsel, Dan Slone from McGuire Woods, who established the WorldGBC’s governance structure
• Chief Administrative Officer at the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Brian Denney, for his ongoing support of the WorldGBC
• Huston Eubank, who was the WorldGBC’s founding corporate secretary and first Executive Director
• Dr Kath Williams, who was a vice chair of the WorldGBC board and staff member for many years in the set-up phase
• Nellie Cheng, who served on the WorldGBC board for six years, four years as Treasurer and two years as Secretary, and who now heads up the USGBC China operations
• Province of Ontario, accepted by David Lindsay, Deputy Minister, Energy, Province of Ontario, which provided $1.2 million in seed funding over four years.

About David Gottfried
In 1993, David Gottfried founded the USGBC to formalize the adoption of green building practices. In 1998, he expanded the vision globally by founding the WorldGBC. Gottfried’s latest venture, the Regenerative Network (www.regen-net.com), seeks to formalize the adoption of green building products and services; bridging the gap between the world’s leading green building providers and architects, engineers, contractors, real estate portfolio owners, and developers. Gottfried has written two influential books and is now