The US Green Building Council is expanding the reach of its popular Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system to the neighborhood scale with LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND). Community leaders and developers can now receive recognition for the environmental sustainability of entire districts, rather than on a building-by-building basis. The Council's Detroit Regional Chapter is offering a one-day training event for planners, economic development professionals and other local government staff titled "Making LEED ND Happen in Your Community" April 1 in Southfield. The event is designed to educate participants on the rating system, its underlying principles and the advantages of pursuing LEED ND certification. To learn more details and to register, visit http://www.drc-usgbc.org/index.php?option=com_registrationpro&view=event&did=372&Itemid=128&shw_attendees=0.

Luke Forrest is Project Coordinator for the Green Communities Challenge and the Center for 21st Century Communities. Contact him by email or by calling 734-669-6323.

With the support of the Michigan Bureau of Energy Systems and the Michigan Recovery Office, the League has developed a searchable database of Green Communities Projects in Michigan. Projects are categorized by type of project, type of government, population and geographic region. The database is also keyword searchable. This is intended to be a resource for community leaders to compare themselves to their peers in other communities and learn more about what others are doing. We know that many more projects exist throughout the state and the current database is just scratching the surface, so please contact Luke Forrest, Project Coordinator with the Green Communities Challenge, with more information about what's happening in your community.