The Sustainable SITES Initiative

The Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES) is owned and administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI). GBCI provides third-party project certification to the requirements of the SITES v2 Rating System and has developed an accompanying professional credential, the SITES Accredited Professional (SITES AP).

From 2006-2014, a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort led by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden developed the Sustainable SITES Initiative and the resulting SITES v2 Rating System. During this time, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and GBCI were long-time supporters and stakeholders in the SITES program. In fact, elements of the SITES credit content are incorporated into iterations of the LEED green building rating system. Likewise, SITES has adapted certain LEED credits as part of its SITES v2 Rating System. GBCI acquired the SITES program in 2015.

Over the years, the SITES program has received numerous awards, including:

• 2012 H. Clark Gregory Award by the US Composting Council
• 2011 Gold Medal Award by the Professional Grounds Management Society
• 2010 Program Excellence Award by the American Public Garden Association
• 2009 Green Business Award by the Washington Business Journal
• 2008 Olmsted Medal by the American Society of Landscape Architects