As Region Grows, Officials Discuss Ways to Make it Greener Area officials, planners, and builders came together on Friday to discuss ways to develop a greener, more environmentally-friendly Washington region during the COG-sponsored Regional Leadership Conference on Green Building in College Park, Maryland.  According to both local and national experts, private companies and public agencies are implementing a growing number of ‘green building’ strategies—like using recycled or renewable building materials, designing green roofs covered with vegetation, and increasing energy and water efficiency.   “The Washington region is growing rapidly and the resulting development won’t come without a cost to our infrastructure and natural resources,” said Jay Fisette, COG Chair and Arlington County Board Member.  “But green building can help overcome some of these growth challenges.”      The audience of over 300 participants listened to representatives of successful green building initiatives in local jurisdictions like the District of Columbia, Arlington and Montgomery Counties and national programs in Chicago, Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon. “I’d like to see the Washington area become the capitol of green building, and I think it can be done,” said keynote speaker Tom Hicks, Vice President of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), U.S. Green Building Council.  The Green Building Conference was part of COG’s ongoing effort to address regional energy issues as part of its policy focus on growth and development. Later this month, the COG Board will vote on a newly developed Regional Energy Strategic Plan.    The conference was co-sponsored by Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland Energy Administration, the District of Columbia Energy Office, Virginia Energy Office and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. To download presentations from the conference, click here. COG is the association of 21 local governments working together for a better metropolitan region. ----------- Release Date: Oct 4, 2006