Green Building Law Update

Environmental Law and Sustainability for Business

Archives: Climate Change

Subscribe to Climate Change RSS Feed

Advantages of Adopting the Model State Indoor Air Quality Act: Prioritizing Human Health Amid Energy Concerns

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, GHG, Green Building, greenhouse gas
The quality of the air we breathe is fundamental to our well being if not life itself. With Americans spending nearly 90% of their lives indoors, the importance of healthy indoor air quality (IAQ) cannot be overstated. In response to the growing concerns about IAQ, a Model State Indoor Air Quality Act has just been … Continue Reading

Maryland is Leading the Transition to All Electric Buildings

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Environmental, ESG, greenhouse gas
There is a move toward all electric buildings as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. The state of Maryland is leading the way in this movement, including several local jurisdictions adopting all electric building code laws. All electric building codes require that new construction and major renovations be powered by … Continue Reading

Maryland is the First State to Regulate Carbon

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, GHG
Maryland has enacted the most rigorous state law in the country reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and otherwise addressing ESG stewardship including climate change. Businesses can and should treat this as the greatest responsibility and opportunity of our time. Literally resetting the trajectory of Maryland’s economy, making sweeping changes to the Old Line State’s already … Continue Reading

Low Embodied Carbon Concrete is Here

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, ESG, GHG, State
The golden opportunity in ESG may be in concrete. Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with materials’ manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal. In a building, there is “upfront” embodied carbon in construction and then operational carbon largely from energy consumption. Embodied carbon is particularly important because it contributes more climate changing … Continue Reading

The “Social Cost of Carbon” is Back

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, ESG, GHG, greenhouse gas
After this blog was posted, on September 21, 2023 the Biden Administration approved the recommendation of the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, directing federal government agencies to consider the social cost of greenhouse gases in federal procurement. On November 11, 2022, shortly after this blog was posted EPA proposed a rule … Continue Reading

SEC Longstanding Disclosure Related to Climate Change Remains

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, ESG, Federal
Whilst much of the popular media is all but obsessed with the March 21, 2022, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed ESG Rules to Enhance and Standardize Climate-Related Disclosures that will among other matters require companies for the first time to disclose greenhouse gas emission data, we continue to work with companies in complying with … Continue Reading

Supreme Court Rules Against EPA Reining in Power of Agencies

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas
In a decision that will rein in agency power across the federal government, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that Congress did not clearly authorize the EPA to adopt broad rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric utility power plants. Specifically, the high court held, “Congress did not grant EPA in Section 111(d) of … Continue Reading

Glossary of Greenhouse Gas Terms

By Stuart Kaplow on Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas
With proposed federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions by the Securities and Exchange Commission requiring GHG disclosure and new state statutes, including a new Maryland law that requires not only disclosure, but also a mandated reduction in GHG emissions, a greater appreciation of the subject of GHG appears in order. This short glossary is an … Continue Reading
LexBlog