commentU.S. Green Building Council Announces Recipients of $2 Million Green Building Research Grants
The U.S. Green Building Council announced on Tuesday the 13 recipients of the 2008 Green Building grant. After identifying an alarming dearth of research and development in the field of sustainable construction practices, the USGBC created the $2 million grant to further the development of sustainable building practices and increase green market share. The Green Building grant has also secured over $1 million in additional funds from outside partnerships.
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Speaking of the winning proposals, USGBC president and CEO Rick Fredizzi asserted that they “drive knowledge, policies, tools and technologies and inspire corresponding industry and government-wide action.” The field of contenders was competitive and diverse, with 216 pre-proposals and 38 full proposals vying for grants ranging from $90,000 to $250,000. A quarter of the fund is dedicated to K-12 school facility research, with three of the winning proposals concerning education. The 13 winners are spread across the five environmental categories of LEED certification.
Some of the grant projects include a green roof energy calculator, an improved porous pavement system for stormwater management, an environmental strategy database for healthcare facilities, a study on the effects of daylight and natural light on K-12 student performance and well-being, and a transportation energy index.
