Learn more about TRUE and zero waste
View past trainings and presentations on the USGBC course catalog under the "Programs" filter for TRUE and on YouTube. Sign up for emails to get event announcements.
TRUE Virtual Office Hours series
- Virtual
The 2026 TRUE Office Hour Series is here. Join us the fourth Tuesday of every month. We will offer a series monthly online forums for you to connect with TRUE staff. Please join us to help launch your zero waste goals and TRUE certification.
We will begin with questions from participants and offer guidance through the many frequently asked questions we receive from project teams, including but not limited to how to get started, evaluating your current performance, creating your zero waste plan, improving waste diversion and reviewing policies for zero waste culture.
Zero Waste Audits: Taking the Full Measure of Waste Reduction Programs Webinar
- Feb 11, 2026 at 1:00 pm EST
Making meaningful progress toward zero waste in corporate and other institutional settings requires a holistic understanding of how waste is generated and managed. Where traditional waste audits analyze discarded waste for insights, zero waste audits look at the steps that products and packaging (materials) follow leading up to that point. Using a systems approach, they evaluate procurement policies and how items are used, as well as end-of-life collection practices and infrastructure, looking for opportunities at each stage to use and manage materials more efficiently.
This program will feature a primer describing the elements of a zero waste audit and how to conduct them, followed by a case study showing how Colgate-Palmolive has applied them in a corporate setting. The program will also include an introduction to the TRUE zero waste certification system, a zero waste program
TRUE Workshop In person
- In person San Diego, CA Feb 19, 2026 9 am to 1 pm
A 4-hour interactive workshop to explore USGBC’s TRUE Certification, a zero waste program. Participants will be given the tools to transform their waste management plan into a commodity, resource, and zero waste plan to create a circular economy locally and globally. The focus will be on the key components of the TRUE Rating System, including training, redesigning systems and materials, EPP purchasing, and delving deep into the financial benefits of zero waste. Guest speakers will review their pursuit and achievement of TRUE Certification, along with presentations from non-profit organizationsand government partners.
During this hands-on workshop with TRUE rating system staff and guest speakers, learn about the importance of recycling markets, steps for collecting the right data, the 10 R’s of the zero waste hierarchy, and tools for effectively communicating the results to build support for your program and best practices for waste elimination/waste diversion.
Case studies for TRUE for facilities, along with TRUE for Events and TRUE for Construction, will be reviewed.
Green Schools Conference Feb 17th and 18th, 2026 Register https://centerforgreenschools.org/green-schools-conference
TRUE for Construction: From Jobsite Waste to Project Value
- Jan 22, 2026 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Construction and demolition (C+D) waste accounts for more than twice the weight of solid waste from businesses and residents in the U.S.—yet much of it can be diverted from landfills through reuse, repurposing, and recycling. Doing so not only reduces costs and preserves material value but also supports healthier communities by minimizing landfilled waste and reducing carbon emissions. TRUE is a proven framework and certification for achieving zero waste in operational facilities and has taken on the challenge of solving C+D waste with an adaptation for Construction projects.
This session will introduce the TRUE Guidance for Construction Projects, a practical framework that helps project teams implement zero waste strategies on new construction and renovation projects while earning recognition for their efforts and achieving competitive advantage.
Achieving TRUE Certification
- February 3rd, 2026 03.00 PM Central European Time (CET), UTC+1
Achieving TRUE Certification: How technology reduces waste and drives sustainability. Join Susie Vincent, USGBC, Fabrizio Custorella, Co-founder of NANDO and Helene Carpentier, Founder of Circular Workplaces and TRUE Advisory Council member for a panel discussion on the importance of data and waste KPIs to achieve TRUE certification.