Tuesday, 24 June 2025
California Green Building Conference, May 22, 2025
On May 22, 2025, USGBC California hosted their 24th annual California Green Building Conference at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Jonathan Reese represented FSC US by exhibiting in the Wood Pavilion.
We were in good company, as across the aisle from the FSC US booth was SmartLam North America, and to the right was Kalesnikoff Mass Timber. Both are major players in mass timber construction, as well as FSC Chain of Custody certificate holders.
Directly to the left was Mad River Mass Timber. Led by George Schmidbauer of the Schmidbauer Group, MRMT recently started operations and is the first vertically integrated mass timber manufacturer in California. Located in Korbel, CA, the Schmidbauer mills provide important local jobs in rural Northern California while sourcing all their timber locally, as well. Schmidbauer Group owns FSC-certified North Fork Lumber, and MRMT is looking to carry certification as well.
It was great having these mass timber companies in close proximity. We played off each other well, such as when people asked “give me an example of FSC wood in action”, all I had to do was point to them and they spoke up about their FSC certification. When people asked any of them about sustainability, they pointed to me and I explained FSC. This resulted in highly educational cross-aisle conversations with attendees, and it was a fun way to build relationships.
The whose-who of sustainable construction in the SF Bay Area was represented well. Jessie Buckmaster, Director of Sustainability at Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company, and Emi LaFountain, West Coast Sustainability Strategy Manager at Turner Construction were in attendance. Always a pleasure to connect with these two leaders, along with many others.
USGBC California, who produced the event, share the United States Green Building Council’s core values, while uniquely focusing on California’s pressing environmental, social, and policy challenges. By inspiring communities and fostering collaboration, they drive systemic change through leadership, education, connection, and advocacy.
In total, 840 attendees, 92 speakers, 85 exhibitors, including 10+ AEC industry sectors and 50+ innovative products, gathered for this one-day event. Looking forward to next year!