David Ronn Named Chair of U.S. Green Building Council's Texas Gulf Coast Chapter
December 12, 2011
McGuireWoods LLP announced today that David Ronn,
a partner in the firm’s Houston office, has been named chair of the United
States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Texas Gulf Coast Chapter. The USGBC is a
nonprofit organization committed to supporting the development of energy-saving
green buildings nationwide. Ronn’s yearlong term is effective Jan. 1, 2012.
According to the USGBC, buildings in the United States are responsible for 39
percent of CO2 emissions, 40 percent of energy consumption, 13 percent water
consumption and 15 percent of GDP per year.
“Green buildings not only have a significant environmental impact, but the
multibillion-dollar industry also benefits our nation’s economy,” said Ronn, who
has more than 20 years’ experience in a wide range of corporate and securities
matters, with concentrations in the energy and technology industries. He is
certified as a LEED-accredited professional by the USGBC and owns the first LEED-H
certified home in Houston. “I am honored to have been given this responsibility
and am eager to lend my voice and experience to the continued growth of the
chapter.”
The USGBC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter operates four branches along the state’s
coastline and a regional headquarters in Houston. Compared to other chapters, it
is ranked third in the nation for the number of LEED-accredited professionals
and is the fifth-largest chapter based on membership, with 1,200 individuals.
The chapter is ranked third in the nation for LEED-certified schools and first
in the nation for ENERGY STAR homes. Houston is also ranked fourth in the nation
for the number of LEED commercial buildings in all metro areas. For 2012, the
chapter intends to fortify its focus to build a green building workforce and to
promote sustainable building to the communities it serves.
The LEED building certification process is considered the premier benchmark
when determining whether or not a building has met the standards of energy
efficiency and environmental stewardship. LEED is a voluntary ranking system
that can be used to increase the performance of a variety of buildings,
including homes, schools, hospitals, other commercial buildings.