Pinellas County selected to join green building leadership program
May 5, 2021
Pinellas County is one of 15 cities and counties selected by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to participate in the nationwide 2021 LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program. The program supports local governments’ efforts to advance sustainability and resilience by measuring and tracking performance using the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Cities green building rating system.
As a part of the Local Government Leadership Program, Pinellas County’s Sustainability and Resiliency Program will gain access to technical assistance, training, educational resources, and waived membership, registration and certification fees as the County works toward a higher LEED certification. Pinellas County has been a LEED-certified community since 2019.
LEED certification provides a framework for local governments to implement strategies to address resiliency, energy, water, waste, pollution and environmental systems. The rating system also takes into account social and economic indicators, such as health, equity, education and prosperity.
“Pinellas County is committed to managing our resources responsibly and implementing long-term solutions to address our environmental, economic and social needs,” said Pinellas County Sustainability and Resiliency Coordinator Hank Hodde. “The rigorous standards established by the USGBC’s rating systems and the support provided through the LEED for Cities Local Government Leadership Program will help us accomplish these goals in a strategic, systematic and equitable way.”
On top of holding the LEED community certification, Pinellas County has built two LEED-certified County buildings and plans to build five more. The County became the first Florida Green Building Council “Green Local Government” in 2006.
Launched in 2017, the Local Government Leadership Program was created through a partnership with USGBC and Bank of America and has contributed more than $1.75 million to support 56 cities and counties in their pursuit of LEED certification. The 15 local governments (five in Florida) selected for the 2021 program represent more than five million Americans in diverse places around the country.