The U.S. Green Building Council has doubled its funding commitment for green building research grants to be awarded in 2008 to a grand total of $2 million. Of the additional $1 million in grants, $500,000 has been allocated for K-12 school facility research related to occupant impacts. The Green Building Research Fund was created to spur research that will advance sustainable building practices and encourage market transformation. A formal request for pre-proposals has been released. Pre-proposal abstracts are being accepted from February 12 through March 6. Selected applicants will be asked to submit comprehensive proposals for the final phase of the selection process. "Our pledge to invest in research is a reflection of USGBC's commitment to its vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation," said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. "The industry needs to take giant steps forward in design, construction, renovation and operation practices to realize large scale improvements to health and environmental conditions in this timeframe. Our board has identified research as a key strategy for accomplishing that goal, and the research grant fund allows us to take immediate action while encouraging other funders to increase their own research commitments." Matching funds from other sources are encouraged in order to maximize the potential of USGBC's contribution toward filling critical research gaps. The research will result in knowledge, policies, technologies and tools that will have an immediate and positive impact on sustainable building development, design, construction and operation.