TITLE: Commending the Texas chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council for promoting green building practices.

SUMMARY: Commending the Texas chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council for promoting green building practices.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council works to promote sustainability and energy efficiency through green building practices, and this forward-thinking organization is represented in the Lone Star State by the Central Texas-Balcones, Chihuahuan Desert, North Texas, and Texas Gulf Coast Chapters; and WHEREAS, Striking a balance between environmental concerns, social responsibility, and economic prosperity, green buildings improve on traditional structures by conserving energy, using water more efficiently, making greater use of natural light, and promoting better indoor air quality, thereby contributing to the health and productivity of the people who live and work in them; and WHEREAS, The Texas chapters of the USGBC advocate use of the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) lending tool, which improves the bottom line for building owners through upgrades in water and energy efficiency; the chapters are committed as well to promoting "green schools," in an effort to ensure that the state's children have as healthy an environment as possible; and WHEREAS, The council's partners across the state include the Texas Society of Architects, the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Air Barrier Association of America, the Central Texas chapter of Associated General Contractors of America, the International Association of Lighting Designers, Building Owners and Managers Association International, the Austin chapter of the International Facilities Management Association, the City of Austin Office of Sustainability, the mayor's office of the City of Converse, Solar San Antonio, the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, NeighborWorks America, Environment Texas, the Texas Drought Project, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Energy, and CLEAResult; and WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is one of the nation's leaders in green building, and the Texas chapters of the USGBC are providing invaluable support to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and businesses as they work together to create improved buildings for all; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature hereby commend the Central Texas-Balcones, Chihuahuan Desert, North Texas, and Texas Gulf Coast Chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council for their advocacy on behalf of green building and extend to the chapters' members sincere best wishes for continued success with their important work; and, be it further RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared for the chapters as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Strama Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr Alonzo Gooden Otto Alvarado Guerra Paddie Anchia Guillen Parker Anderson Gutierrez Patrick Ashby Harless Perez Aycock Harper-Brown Perry Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips Bohac Herrero Pickett Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price Branch Huberty Raney Burkett Hughes Ratliff Burnam Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Callegari Johnson Riddle Canales Kacal Ritter Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis Clardy King of Parker Rose Coleman King of Taylor Sanford Collier King of Zavala Schaefer Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell Creighton Krause Simmons Crownover Kuempel Simpson Dale Larson Smith Darby Laubenberg Smithee Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland Deshotel Longoria Strama Dukes Lozano Taylor Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris Elkins Martinez Toth Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin Farias McClendon Turner of Harris Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles Villalba Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman Giddings Murphy Wu Goldman Naishtat Zedler Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1617 was adopted by the House on April 22, 2013, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House