Welcome to the U.S. Green Building Council
Northern California Chapter

On Thursday, September 10th, USGBC-NCC will join the International Interior Design Association Northern California Chapter (IIDA) in sponsoring the 2009 IIDA Leaders Breakfast with world-renowned environmental activist Majora Carter.  During the breakfast ceremony, the IIDA Northern California Chapter Leadership Award of Excellence will be awarded to honoree Dan Huntsman of Huntsman Architectural Group for his contributions to the practice of commercial interior design and architecture since founding his firm in 1981.  Bill Watson, founder of Coordinated Resources Inc, will be honored with the IIDA Northern California Chapter’s Distinguished Achievement Award for his exemplary contributions to furniture procurement and design support services.

Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx in 2001 and has since developed several ground-breaking projects—such as the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) Academy.  The BEST Academy is a pioneering green-collar job training and placement program that has enabled over 150 graduates to achieve economic sustainability while expanding the green economy in their community. 85% of BEST graduates are employed after four years and 10% are in college.  For her transformational work in environmental justice, Majora Carter has been named one of New York City’s “50 Most Influential Women” for the past two years by the New York Post and was named “NYC’s most influential environmentalist” by BBC World Service. 

Majora’s work is part of a greater green-collar jobs movement that is also taking shape in the Bay Area with the Oakland Green Jobs Corps, a job training program providing green pathways out of poverty for young adults in Oakland facing barriers to employment.  The USGBC-NCC is currently recruiting companies who are interested in employing green-collar workers through the Green Employer Council. For more information on the USGBC-NCC Green Employer Council, please contact Ashleigh Talberth.