Press Release No. 09/442

Press Release No.09/442
December 4, 2009

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was today awarded one of the highest environmental designations in the world for its headquarters in Washington DC. The IMF is the first international financial organization and the first United Nations affiliated organization to be awarded LEED Gold for Existing Buildings established by the U.S. Green Building Council

“With the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change this month, governments have a historic opportunity to act. People of the world look to their leaders and institutions to make these difficult decisions and to work together toward the greater good of the planet, and more importantly, for the sake of future generations,” said IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn during the award ceremony, “In this spirit, international institutions like the IMF need to play their part in contributing to a solution.”

The LEED rating system is a globally recognized rating for green buildings. With this award the Fund joins four other buildings in Washington D.C. and 126 buildings in the United States that have received this award.

LEED for Existing Buildings, an award verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), focuses on how well buildings are operated according to factors like their utilization of energy and water, recycling and reduction of waste, and the creation of a healthy work environment for staff.

Both of the Fund’s buildings that make up its DC headquarters have received this designation. Construction on HQ1 began in 1973, and HQ2 was completed in 2005.