5.23.11 | Houston, TX | The International Facility Management Association is pleased to join fellow members of the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition and U.S. and European public-sector representatives this week in celebrating High-Performance Building Week and Government Leaders Day.

The HPBCCC has designated May 23-29 as High-Performance Building Week 2011. Held in Washington, D.C., the week underscores the importance of sustainable building practices to federal, state and local lawmakers, as well as the public.

High-Performance Building Week kicks off with an introductory press conference on Tuesday, May 24, in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill. Additional events throughout the week include panel discussions, budget briefings, facility tours, award receptions, and other educational and networking functions. IFMA Director of Government Relations Jeffrey Johnson, J.D., will represent the association throughout the week’s events.

Those interested in participating in High-Performance Building Week are encouraged to reach out to congressional representatives and ask them to join the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus.

While High-Performance Building Week is underway in the United States, IFMA representatives will also be in Vienna, Austria, promoting the importance of public-sector involvement in facility management and sustainability initiatives throughout Europe during the 2011 European Facility Management Conference’s Government Leaders Day.

Held Monday, May 23, Government Leaders Day will feature a series of presentations from government representatives detailing their approach to building operations and maintenance, highlighting the role of education and training, and discussing budgetary and regulatory hurdles. This will be followed by a roundtable policy discussion led by U.S. and European Union representatives.

In addition to remarks from IFMA and European Facility Management Network delegates, Government Leaders Day will feature presentations from Alex Willman of the U.S. State Department, Kevin Kampschoer of the U.S. General Services Administration, Lynda Stanley of the National Academies of Science’s Federal Facilities Council, Scott McMillan of the International Monetary Fund and others.

“IFMA fully supports the goals of High-Performance Building Week and Government Leaders Day and recognizes the important role training and credentialing play in encouraging quality public-sector facility management practices, both in the U.S. and abroad” said IFMA President and CEO Tony Keane, CAE. “IFMA’s new Sustainability Facility Professional™ credential and other educational offerings are but one measure of our association’s commitment to high-performance building. We are pleased to join other associations and government representatives from around the world in celebrating this worthwhile week of events.”

To learn more about High-Performance Building Week, visit www.hpbccc.org or view the schedule of events. For more information about the European Facility Management Conference, visit www.efmc-conference.com.

IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 19,500 members in 78 countries. The association’s members, represented in 125 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.