The history of the San Diego Green Building Council began in 2002 when a group of local leaders recognized the need for better practices in the built environment.
The organization sprouted as a Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, which provided a connection to a nationwide network of groups with similar interests and goals.
Over the years as the industry and policy have been catching up to the most advanced sustainability trends, local membership interests have broadened to discussions of net positive influence, impact investments, climate change, and resiliency regulations. The San Diego Green Building Council continues to evolve to bring these topics to the forefront of discussion and education in San Diego’s professional and regulatory environments.
Key Milestones:
1999: Ridgehaven Green Office Building is completed by the City of San Diego, becoming the first Energy Star Certified building in the world. This project was instrumental in launching the national U.S. Green Building Council and many of San Diego’s local architects, advocates, and other professionals were involved in the process. You can learn more about the story of Ridgehaven and the role of our community members in the book, Explosion Green by David Gottfried.
2002: San Diego Chapter Organizing Group forms as a chapter of the US Green Building Council.
2005: San Diego USGBC Chapter Articles of Incorporation filed
2007: IRS Status Granted as a 501(c)(3) public benefit nonprofit corporation.
2011: The San Diego Chapter opens its first physical office space, at the DPR Construction building in Kearny Mesa. The facility is the first net-zero energy retrofit office building in the County.
2011: The San Diego Chapter becomes one of the first in the country to host the Living Building Challenge Collaborative.
2015: As the USGBC network evolves, the San Diego Chapter chooses to maintain its own 501(c)(3) designation and continue to align with the US Green Building Council network.
2016: SDGBC relocates to East Village BNIM office in an effort to play a more visible role in San Diego’s rapidly developing urban core.
2019: SDGBC solidifies its role as the USGBC aligned community and rebrands officially as the San Diego Green Building Council to signal its focus on the local implementation of sustainability and green building values.
2021: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SDGBC's office moves to completely remote and continues its transition to hybrid operations with virtual education and in person events throughout the county.
2022: SDGBC completes the rebranding process by changing its legal name to San Diego Green Building Council.