California Governor Schwarzenegger opened the XXVI Annual Border Governors Conference (BGC) at Universal Studios Hollywood highlighting the benefits of building green economies throughout the border region. “Together we have accomplished a great deal over the past year and…we are building on our common desire to make the border region an economic powerhouse by building green economies that will improve the lives of all border residents,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. Over 70 cleantech companies presented their innovative green technologies including electric cars, solar-powered flashlights and non-toxic cleaning products during the two-day Green Technology Exposition.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said that the U.S. and China will deepen their work together on energy policy and environmentally friendly technologies, according to a USGBC press release. "We are working together to develop a way forward," Mr. Paulson said in Beijing, as he presented Chinese officials with an award recognizing the environmentally friendly design of the Olympic Village, where 16,000 athletes are living. Chinese officials worked closely with the U.S. Department of Energy to design the village, a minicity with 42 six- and nine-story buildings, to top international environmental standards.

More than 1,000 builders, remodelers and other members of the home building industry have earned the National Association of Home Builders'  (NAHB) Certified Green Professional (CGP).  The CGP has been an educational designation since it was introduced in early 2008. The voluntary, industry-wide CGP is an important part of the new NAHB National Green Building Program. Also, the CGP includes an online home scoring tool.

A state appeals board in Washington ordered the use of "low-impact" building techniques to curb rainwater runoff in the Puget Sound region, according to Seattle PI. The Pollution Control Hearings Board recently ruled that rainwater runoff from large buildings, which carries oil, pesticides and a host of pollutants should be controlled by environmentally friendly construction methods. Those methods are numerous but include installing "rain gardens" and vegetated roofs to soak up runoff. In established cities such as Seattle, the impact is likely to be felt mostly in redevelopment projects.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to launch a Web portal with information and resources about environmental compliance, pollution prevention and other green issues specific to retailers, according to the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). The organization said it and others representing the retail industry have been working with the EPA for several months to create the portal, which is expected to launch in late 2008.

Manhattan's high-rises are increasingly using a new kind of green concrete called iCrete. iCrete touts a 40 percent reduction in GHG emissions, advanced mix designs, and higher performance and quality control; branding itself as the highest strength concrete ever poured in the history of New York. Less than a year since its introduction, the new concrete has been used in projects such as the Freedom Tower, Frank Gehry's Beekman Tower, 11 Times Square and more than 30 other construction sites in the Greater New York Metropolitan Area.

The Home Builders Association of Southern Tennessee is hosting the NAHB Green Building Seminar on Sept. 17-19 at the Home Builders Association offices. The Seminar includes a 2 day Green Building seminar on Sept. 17 and 18 and a Business Management for Building Professionals Seminar on Sept. 19th. Participants will receive a green building certificate upon completion of the 2 day seminar.