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Archives: Codes and Regulations

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Shedding Light on the Future: The Evolution of Lightbulbs in the Wake of New Energy Efficiency Standards

In 2024 there is nothing wrong with doing that better than Thomas Edison in 1860, with LEDs, and repairing the planet … Continue Reading

2024 International Energy Conservation Code is Final After Addressing Preemption

By Stuart Kaplow on April 7, 2024 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Energy, Green Building, Local Government

This is a big deal because versions of the IECC are in use or have been adopted in 48 states … Continue Reading

Settlement Portends Broad Failure in Attempts to Ban Natural Gas

By Stuart Kaplow on March 31, 2024 Posted in Federal, GHG, State

The immediate and long term failure of state and local governments' attempts to ban natural gas in homes and businesses.… Continue Reading

SEC Climate Disclosure Rule Stay and Venue Now in the 8th Circuit

By Stuart Kaplow on March 24, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Compellingly 25 states have now filed petitions for judicial review attacking the SEC Final Rule. … Continue Reading

SEC Final Rule on Climate Change and GHG Disclosure

By Stuart Kaplow on March 10, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Adopted long awaited rules to enhance and standardize climate related disclosures, including for the first time requiring greenhouse gas emission disclosures… Continue Reading

New York is Coming for Your Cheeseburger with Greenwashing Case

By Stuart Kaplow on March 3, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, Green Washing, greenhouse gas, greenwashing, State

net zero by 2040… Continue Reading

Hawaii Considers $25 Climate Tax

By Stuart Kaplow on February 25, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental, State

A $25 tax to create a “special fund to prevent climate crises and more effectively respond to climate crises when they occur.”… Continue Reading

Defense Contractor Prohibition on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Disclosures

By Stuart Kaplow on February 18, 2024 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Defense contractors are not permitted to “disclose a greenhouse gas inventory or any other report on greenhouse gas emissions.”… Continue Reading

France is an Example of How Not to do Residential Greenhouse Gas Reduction

By Stuart Kaplow on February 4, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

A Green Challenge: France's Struggle with High Emission Rental Properties… Continue Reading

BEPS on Hold in Maryland

By Stuart Kaplow on January 30, 2024 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Energy, GHG

AELR put a “hold” on the proposed regulations to create the Maryland Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS)… Continue Reading

Federal Appeals Court Delivers Coup De Grace in Berkeley Attempt to Ban Natural Gas

By Stuart Kaplow on January 7, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, greenhouse gas, Legal Developments

Attempts by state and local governments to ban natural gas in buildings cannot stand as preempted by federal law… Continue Reading

Maryland Building Energy Performance Standards Effective January 1

By Stuart Kaplow on December 10, 2023 Posted in GHG, greenhouse gas, State

The BEPS regulations, without providing for any meaningful reduction in GHG emissions, risk irreparably harm the Maryland economy… Continue Reading

Greenhouse Gas Data Must be Collected Beginning January 1 in Maryland

By Stuart Kaplow on December 3, 2023 Posted in Codes and Regulations, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

Beginning January 1, 2024 greenhouse gas emission data be collected for reporting to the Maryland state government. … Continue Reading

EU to Ban Greenwashing and Much More

By Stuart Kaplow on November 26, 2023 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Green Washing, greenwashing

Marketing tactics of making false or misleading claims about a product or service's environmental benefits are greenwashing pure and simple .… Continue Reading

Solar Panels may be Hazardous Waste No More

By Stuart Kaplow on November 19, 2023 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Energy, recycling, Solar Panel

The proposed addition of solar panels to the universal waste regulations … Continue Reading

Greenhouse Gas Data Confidentiality Takes Two Steps Forward

By Stuart Kaplow on November 12, 2023 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

Businesses must protect their data, not to mention monetize it for their benefit, and can do both while at the same time leading the way toward decarbonizing the economy and repairing the world. … Continue Reading

US Appeals Court Upholds Nasdaq Board Diversity Rule, However

By Stuart Kaplow on November 5, 2023 Posted in ESG, Federal

With large numbers of businesses having initiatives to advance gender and racially diverse talent, keeping track of the law on this subject is a necessity… Continue Reading

Net Zero, Carbon Offsets and more Now Require Disclosures

By Stuart Kaplow on October 29, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, Environmental, GHG, greenwashing

This new law is being heralded as anti greenwashing … Continue Reading

Tenants Monetizing their Greenhouse Gas Emission Data

By Stuart Kaplow on October 15, 2023 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

We are already working with a broad breadth of businesses, including tenants and landlords, to develop strategies to assist them in taking advantage of this opportunity to monetize their GHG emission data … Continue Reading

White House to Define Zero Emission Building

By Stuart Kaplow on October 1, 2023 Posted in Federal, GHG, Green Building, greenhouse gas

The federal government will define what is a “zero emission” building.… Continue Reading

California Passes Groundbreaking Climate Disclosure Bills

By Stuart Kaplow on September 17, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Codes and Regulations, GHG

California on the bleeding edge of climate disclosure and climate financial risk reporting… Continue Reading

Navigating the Urban Landscape: London’s Low Emission Zone vs. NYC Congestion Pricing

By Stuart Kaplow on September 10, 2023 Posted in City, Codes and Regulations, GHG, greenhouse gas

London's Low Emission Zone and New York City's proposed Congestion Pricing, while coming from very different places geographically and ideologically, represent dramatic strides in urban planning and environmental stewardship. … Continue Reading