The U.S. Green Building Council kicked off its “Fifty for Fifty” initiative working with state lawmakers in all 50 states to promote green school buildings. The Council’s goal is for every state legislature in the nation to have its own caucus or working group of lawmakers advancing green schools for kids.

Inspired by the successes of the Congressional Green Schools Caucus, the initiative will build on widespread participation in USGBC’s LEED for schools program, which has more than 1,000 green schools registered across the U.S.

At an event held in early September in Washington, D.C., at the National Press Club, the “Fifty for Fifty” initiative provides state legislators with:

• Up-to-date information and developments in green building including trends, cost-benefit studies and incentives offered by localities to advance and promote green building
  
  
• Networking opportunities with like-minded legislators across the country
  
  
• Opportunities for partnerships with experts in their communities, from architects to engineers to contractors
  
  
• Opportunities to present best practices and successes in regional and national forums

“For students and families across the country, more green schools ultimately mean more effective educational facilities, significant operating costs savings, a better environment, and healthier communities,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “If we’re successful at creating green schools for every child, no matter his or her economic bracket, we’ll raise a generation of smart, healthier, inspired kids.”

According to the USGBC, as the school year begins, nearly 1,000 school buildings ― from Tacoma, Wash., to Tallahassee, Fla., ― will have met or are seeking LEED green school certification, with applications growing at a rate of more than one per day. The total number of square feet of LEED certified and registered school space will exceed 100 million square feet as the school year gets underway, according to new figures released by USGBC.

For more information, visit www.buildgreenschools.org.