This year, the Green Building Certification Institute will begin administering the LEED certification process for buildings. The GBCI was launched last year to administer certification and credential programs related to green-building practices and to ensure that the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) program continues to be developed in accordance with best practices for credentialing programs.In November, GBCI announced that Peter Templeton will be its president. In his former role at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Templeton was vital to the early development of the LEED green-building certification system, the launch of the LEED AP program, the expansion of USGBC's educational programming, and the successful spin-off of GBCI. Most recently, Templeton was USGBC's senior VP of education and research, leading the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, LEED training and professional certification programs, and green-building research initiatives."I am honored to join the founding team of GBCI," said Templeton. "Our mission is to administer in a way that is scalable to meet ever-increasing capacity and demand while maintaining the highest levels of quality and integrity."Prior to joining USGBC, Templeton worked as a project manager and environmental planner directing sustainable development, environmental education, and land-use management programs in the U.S. and abroad. He has a master's degree in urban and environmental planning.Originally published Jan. 5, 2009