David Gottfried

David Gottfried’s stories represent a captivating mixture of personal experience, inspiration, passion and authenticity. David has delivered hundreds of keynotes in over a dozen countries. He is internationally acknowledged as one of the foremost founders of the global green building movement, having founded the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). David also invented the concept for the LEED® green building rating system, which has been adopted by 140 countries. He presents on various topics related to Green Living, Green Building, and GreenbuildTech™—the next wave of green building. In his signature keynotes, David shares his inspiring stories of founding a worldwide movement, his outlook on the new world of green, and how the great David Brower and other leaders influenced his life.

David has authored dozens of articles and written two influential books, Greed to Green: The transformation of an industry and a life, and Greening My Life: A Green Building Pioneer Takes on His Most Challenging Project. David is currently writing his third book.

David is viewed in the industry as an inventor and trendsetter. After founding the USGBC and WorldGBC, 89 countries around the world have now adopted Green Building Councils. The USGBC is among the fastest growing nonprofits in the world, and GBCs are responsible for lowering more carbon emissions than any other organization on the planet.