The USGBC says nearly 1,700 buildings in 50 states are now seeking LEED certification and 137 have been constructed and certified so far.
Though the dropping water level of the lake is gravely concerning, it does have a faint silver lining for scuba divers: some sites that were once too deep for recreational divers are now within the certification's limits.
Alternative programs to certification are now offered in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
The same activists that pushed western logging firms to submit to certification are now pressuring importers of tropical wood to ensure that their wares are also certified.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France and the USA, large numbers of geothermal heat pumps are already operational, and installation guidelines, quality control and contractor certification are now major issues of debate.
Further developments in 2009 included the official adoption of national standards for youth friendly services which are now used in clinic certification, monitoring and evaluation, To date there are now 91 YFCs in Ukraine, 31 of them certified.
They had already been certified as organic by one of the independent local agencies that are now authorized to grant federal certification.
The standards that were developed, approved, adopted and are now being applied in clinic certification and monitoring have been widely welcomed, especially by service providers who see them as an effective tool to guide their work.
"Cronyism was rampant," said Jay Burnett, who presided over capital cases as a district judge in Houston for 14 years and crusaded for the higher standards that are now in place in Harris County, including certification and training procedures for lawyers.
Last year, Westport EMS revived its Youth Explorer Post for 14- to 17-year-olds and signed up 22. Twelve of the new recruits completed medical response technician training, passed a certification exam, and are now assisting on ambulance calls with restrictions, Mr. Paretzky said.
