About Us
Chapter Mission As the built environment fundamentally impacts peoples’ lives and the planet’s health, our mission is to positively transform the building processes, building industry and built environment of our region. Through the consensus process, and by drawing upon the experience of stakeholders in the building industry, we will:
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The distinguishing characteristic of the USGBC Arizona Chapter is a focus on green building techniques, technologies and philosophies appropriate to the arid bio-region that encompasses the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Whether in the pine forests of Show-Low, the lush desert of Scottsdale and Tucson, or the low desert of Yuma, the common characteristics of low humidity and vast sunshine tie this bio-region together, influencing the appropriateness of various green building tools. Our Chapter goals involve educating the marketplace for overall awareness of green building, and understanding and communicating how that applies specifically to our climate.
Naturally, solar energy topics (including passive, active, photovoltaic, thermal mass, thermal barrier, regulatory issues, market issues) come up frequently in our programs and discussions. While still a small fraction of overall energy production, Arizona has some of the largest commercial solar electricity production facilities in the world.
Alternative building materials frequently arise as a topic of interest, perhaps primarily because of their impact on insulation values. Because we often work and live in sealed environments, 
indoor air quality becomes an additional issue.
Perhaps less well-known is that Northern Arizona is home to some of the top small wind turbine manufacturers in the world. Additionally, Tucson is home to some extremely well planned green urban communities. As Arizona is very much feeling the effects of years of drought and the resulting forest fire devastation of 2002, topics such as water conservation, forest management, thin-diameter tree products, and mankind's relationship to our environment are on our minds and in our newspapers.
In one of the fastest growing regions of the country, we are making a large impact in the commercial building industry quickly. The level of interest in LEED and green building is similar to a smoldering wildfire just as the wind starts to kick up. Our plan is to build the infrastructure and local industry knowledge base not to fight it, but to guide it to overwhelming success.