Syracuse University

S. Richard "Rick" Fedrizzi G’87, founding chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), was appointed president and CEO of the rapidly growing organization in April 2004. Under his leadership, the council has undertaken a far-reaching agenda that has tripled its membership, broadened its influence, and cemented its role as a leadership voice in the global sustainability movement. 

A cornerstone of that agenda has been the evolution of the internationally recognized LEED Green Building Rating System. Known as LEED v3, this effort builds on the familiar infrastructure of LEED, but introduces a comprehensive realignment and technical upgrade of all the existing rating systems; a reweighting of credits to drive achievement against the most pressing issues—C02 reduction and improved indoor environmental quality; the introduction of  bioregional credits and life cycle assessment into LEED; significant expansion of LEED online and improvements to the user experience; and the move to a global-class certification process, all to enhance speed, capacity and performance of the rating system as a catalyst for market transformation. 

Even while LEED is evolving from a technical standpoint, USGBC has incorporated aspects that address the unique needs of schools, hospitals, the retail sector, and large property owners who want to implement and manage LEED across a broad portfolio of buildings and building types. Special emphasis is being placed on LEED for Existing Building Operations and Maintenance, in recognition of the huge need to bring existing buildings to higher levels of ongoing performance, and LEED for Neighborhood Development, an effort to move LEED’s benefits beyond the building footprint into the neighborhood it occupies. LEED for Homes launched in 2007, bringing the benefits of third-party certified green building to the residential sector.

To support LEED’s development, more than 155,000 individuals have become LEED-credentialed professionals (LEED AP). The LEED credentialing program, along with administration of the LEED green building certification process, are now under the auspices of the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), of which Fedrizzi is an active board member. Spun off from USGBC in 2008, this is the culmination of his vision of a separate credentialing body that would continue to work closely with USGBC, but stand apart, using world-renowned ISO experienced certification bodies to add critical speed and capacity to the third-party certification process, a hallmark of LEED since its inception. This significant realignment allows USGBC to more fully advance the broader educational aspects of its mission.

Fedrizzi’s passion for collaboration as a driver for rapid change is evidenced in a series of far-reaching initiatives that have come to fruition under his tenure, including working with the Clinton Climate Initiative on the C40 Cities Program and the Climate Positive Development Program, the International Codes Council, AIA, ASHRAE, ASID, ASLA, BOMA, and IFMA, among others, on numerous programs designed to accelerate the accomplishments of the green building movement and support the council’s vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation. He also serves on the board of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative.

USGBC’s international outreach has also been part of Fedrizzi’s vision. Working closely with the minister of construction in China, he’s assisted that country’s green building efforts and the establishment of its own green building council. He helped establish the World Green Building Council in 1999, served as its chairman from 1999 to 2004, and remains an active member of its board of directors.

Broad outreach and education are critical components of Fedrizzi’s agenda for accomplishing the council’s goals. In 2007, USGBC called for an increase in green building research, an effort seeded by more than $2 million in matching grants from USGBC. The council has also expanded accessibility to its robust educational program by offering additional in-person workshops and multiple online opportunities, including launching greenbuild365.org, a site that offers green building education year-round. The council also launched an action-oriented green schools site, centerforgreenschools.org, and a green homes consumer education site, greenhomeguide.com.

That outreach has extended to the public sector, where Fedrizzi is a frequent speaker to the Conference of Mayors, White House and Hill staff, and other state and local municipal bodies, and plays an increasingly activist role for the council in public policy initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels. A widely sought-after speaker, he gives more than 200 speeches and presentations a year, engaging in a broad dialog with diverse audiences. It's this perspective that makes him a valuable Advisory Council member for Planet Green, Discovery Channel’s environmental network.

Developing an organizational infrastructure to support USGBC’s growth and development has been a significant priority, bringing more than 18,000 organizational members, representing millions of employees, stakeholders and customers, to the council. Fedrizzi has championed expansion of USGBC’s nationally reaching chapter network, providing some 80 “front doors” to USGBC and supporting the local work of some 30,000 individuals every day.

Prior to his appointment, Fedrizzi was the founder and president of Green-Think, an environmentally focused marketing and communications consulting firm. He founded Green-Think after a distinguished 25-year career at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), where he served as an in-house environmental marketing consultant. He serves on the board of directors of the New York Indoor Environmental Quality (NYIEQ) Center and The Environmental Project™, and is an active alumnus of LeMoyne College (bachelor's degree) and Syracuse University (MBA degree). In 2008, he received the Environmental Stewardship Award from the Queens Botanical Garden and, in 2009, he and the USGBC were recognized as visionaries in sustainability by the National Building Museum, receiving the prestigious Honor Award.