Court dismisses lawsuit against U.S. Green Building Council

The United States District Court in New York City dismissed in its entirety the lawsuit brought against the U.S. Green Building Council by Henry Gifford and others, according to an Aug. 17 USGBC press release.

The court dismissed the federal false advertising claims "with prejudice," meaning that the court's dismissal of those claims is final and that plaintiffs are barred from filing a new suit based on those claims. The court's ruling simultaneously dismissed plaintiffs' state law false advertising claims.

"This successful outcome is a testament to our process and to our commitment to do what is right," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC, in the release. "Thousands of people around the world use LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] because it's a proven tool for achieving our mission of transforming the built environment. We're grateful that the court found in our favor so we can give our full attention to the important work before us."