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| Osceola County Commissioners and County staff receive a framed copy of the Florida Green Government certificate from representatives of the Florida Green Building Coalition. |
The County was re-certified by the Florida Green Building Coalition (FGBC) at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Monday, August 6, 2018. The County was certified again at the Silver level. It received the original award in 2012 – and is one of only 14 in the state of Florida that is currently certified.
“It’s an honor to be a leader in this very worthwhile program,” said Commissioner Vice Chairwoman Cheryl Grieb. “Achieving this certification can lead to a streamlining of operating costs, better departmental communication and cooperation, as well as a wealth of environmental benefits, including a measurable reduction in CO2.”
The FGBC Certified Green Local Government standard presents a comprehensive list of criteria, organized in terms of local government department functions. The program helps: Conserve and protect natural resources
Reduce the cost of operating the government, thus reducing the cost to taxpayers
Put in place methods to improve the sustainability of their business practices and operations
Raise awareness in the community about environmental stewardship
The standard seeks to achieve “Energy and Environmental Integration” within government. It is expected that certified green city and county governments will function in a more efficient manner through better internal communication, cost reductions, and effective risk and asset management.
The process inherently requires extensive communication between departments. Osceola County partnered with multiple agencies and 18 internal departments to receive this certification.