Peter Templeton

Peter has worked for over 25 years to accelerate global adoption of practices that enhance human health, environmental wellbeing and quality of life for all. As president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI, he directs organization-wide efforts to increase the reach and impact of green building and green business market transformation activities around the world. He leads the execution of strategic plans and partnerships that expand local capacity and deliver new tools for advancing smart, healthy, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable buildings and communities. Over Peter’s tenure at USGBC, LEED has become the most widely used and respected green building program in the world.

Peter served as president and CEO of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute from 2018 to 2021, working to scale Cradle to Cradle Certified as the globally recognized mark of materials and products optimized for human and environmental health, circularity, and social fairness.

Prior to C2CPII, Peter served in senior leadership roles at USGBC leading global market development, establishing strategic partnerships and directing the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, LEED training and professional credentialing programs, and USGBC’s green building research initiatives. He joined USGBC as one of its first employees to support the launch of the LEED Rating System as Director of LEED and International Programs.

From 2009-2012, Peter was the first President of Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) which administers third-party project certification and professional credentialing in over 150 countries and territories for the LEED green building rating systems and other respected environmental leadership standards. During his tenure, GBCI certified over 200 million square meters of new and existing buildings and awarded over 200,000 credentials to green building professionals worldwide.

Prior to USGBC, Peter worked as a program manager and environmental planner on international development projects promoting sustainable land use and resource management best practices in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

Peter holds a master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. He currently serves as a board member of the World Green Building Council and Sustentabilidad paraMexico (SUMe).