Where 1,000+ Leaders Advance Climate Resilience & Sustainable Innovation in California
May 27-28, 2026 | University of California, Berkeley
The California Green Building Conference 2026, hosted by USGBC California, is the state’s leading sustainability conference focused on green building, climate resilience, and cutting-edge solutions for California’s built environment. More than 1,000 professionals from across industries, including architecture, design, engineering, construction, development, manufacturing, policy, education, and community leadership, come together for a dynamic day of networking, learning, and inspiration.
Who Should Attend?
If you're designing, building, funding, regulating, teaching, or advocating for a more sustainable California, this conference is for you. Whether you're an architect, engineer, developer, product innovator, policymaker, sustainability professional, student, or community leader, you’ll find people here who share your goals, and the tools to help you move them forward.
In two powerful days, you’ll explore bold ideas, discover breakthrough solutions, and make connections that drive real impact. Celebrate trailblazers at the Materials and Civic Leadership Awards and be part of the movement empowering people, transforming places, and sustaining California.
Why You Should Attend:
✓ Direct Access to Decision-Makers
✓ Build Strategic Partnerships
✓ Stay Ahead of California Policy & Market Shifts
✓ Discover Proven, Implementable Solutions
✓ Access Innovative Materials & Technologies
✓ Earn Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
✓ Elevate Your Brand & Industry Visibility
✓ Gain Strategic Foresight
✓ Get Actionable Decarbonization Strategies
✓ Future-Proof Your Business
Keynote Speaker
Voices of Experience: Testimonials From Our Past Exhibitors
Put Your Brand in Front of 1,000 Sustainability Decision-Makers.
✔ Prime speaking opportunities
✔ Exhibit space
✔ Brand placement across digital + onsite materials
✔ Exclusive networking access
About the Venue
The University of California was founded in 1868, born out of a vision in the State Constitution of a university that would “contribute even more than California’s gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations.” Named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley, UC Berkeley is the state's first land-grant university and the founding campus of the University of California system.
Designed by Vernon De Mars and completed in 1961, the Martin Luther King Jr. Building stands both as a reminder of Dr. King’s courageous advocacy and as an inspiration for leadership within our community. Renovated in 2015 the building now blends the best of mid-century modernism with all the contemporary amenities necessary such as environmentally sustainable features, complete ADA accessibility, and LEED Gold certification.
Where to Stay
Berkeley, CA 94704
United States
California Product & Civic Leadership Awards
*SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Join us at the conference to celebrate outstanding achievements in sustainability, green building, and innovative products that are making a difference.
Learn More About the Product Awards
Learn More About the Product Awards
Through our annual Product Awards, USGBC-CA honors products that have a significant impact on both policy and projects, transforming Southern California into a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable region for all.
Categories:
Material Impact Award: The Material Impact Award honors a building product or material presenting the biggest opportunity to move the market forward by reducing embodied carbon in buildings across California and beyond.
Market Transformation Award: The Market Transformation Award recognizes a product or solution that has significantly influenced the adoption of sustainable practices and transformed how the market approaches green building and sustainability.
Ripple Effect Award: The Ripple Effect Award honors a product, technology, initiative, or organization that catalyzes sustainable water management. By driving conservation, efficiency, capture, or reuse, this innovator is creating a far-reaching impact, helping to build a more resilient water future for California and beyond.
Learn More About the Civic Leadership Awards
Learn More About the Civic Leadership Awards
Categories
The Policy Leadership Award honors a municipality or agency that is leading the way in advancing green building and sustainability for California and beyond.
The Elected Official Award honors an elected official who is leading on sustainability for California and beyond.
The Future of Water: Architectural Design Challenge (ADC)
*APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The Shaping the Future of Water Use at Home Architectural Design Challenge (ADC) is an international ideas competition organized by USGBC California and supported by regional and international partners and prize funders.
The goal: inspire residential solutions that can be applied in the next one to three years, accelerating progress toward a water-positive future.
About ADC
About ADC
How can we design homes that use water and energy more intelligently, without sacrificing comfort or beauty?
The Future of Water: Architectural Design Challenge (ADC) invites architects, designers, engineers, and students to envision residential spaces that advance a water-positive future.
Winners will be announced live at the California Green Building Conference on May 28, 2026, where they’ll receive free admission and the opportunity to be featured during the event among industry leaders and change makers shaping California’s built environment.
Thank You To Our Annual Sponsors!
Hosted at the University of California, Berkeley, the California Green Building Conference draws professionals from across the Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and beyond.
As a nonprofit organization, USGBC-CA relies on the generosity of supporters like you to continue advancing our mission. If you’ve found value in this event, please consider making a donation. Every contribution helps us create more opportunities, resources, and community connections.