Green Building Law Update

Environmental Law and Sustainability for Business

Archives: GHG

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

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

National Definition for a Zero Emissions Building

By Stuart Kaplow on January 28, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

Provide feedback on the draft national definition for a Zero Emissions Building.… Continue Reading

Does evian Water Greenwash?

By Stuart Kaplow on January 21, 2024 Posted in GHG, Green Washing, greenwashing, Legal Developments, Sustainability

Photographs from Court Pleadings

A good primer on greenwashing, but more than a little scary when you consider this may portend plaintiffs’ lawyer television advertisements recruiting mass litigation greenwashing clients. … Continue Reading

Measuring and Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions will be “the” Environmental Issue of 2024

By Stuart Kaplow on December 31, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

Decarbonization of the world’s economies is the biggest business opportunity in history, waiting to be unlocked… Continue Reading

Sustainability Triumphs: A 2023 Year in Review with an Eye Toward Decarbonizing

By Stuart Kaplow on December 24, 2023 Posted in GHG, greenhouse gas, Sustainability

2023 year in review… 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

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

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

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

By Stuart Kaplow on October 22, 2023 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

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

Green Building may be our Best Hope to Repair the Planet

By Stuart Kaplow on October 8, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, Green Building, greenhouse gas

Single shooting climate change is not what the majority of people want… 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

Unplugged Truth: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Charging Your Smartphone

By Stuart Kaplow on September 24, 2023 Posted in GHG, greenhouse gas

To appreciate that calculation in context, global smartphone charging is responsible for 8,050,000,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year… 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

Colorado Law Will Lead the Nation in Reducing GHGs from Buildings

By Stuart Kaplow on August 20, 2023 Posted in GHG, greenhouse gas, State

The Colorado building sector will lead the nation in building energy performance standards and GHG emission reduction … Continue Reading

Offsets and RECs: A Powerful Duo for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Repairing the Planet

By Stuart Kaplow on July 30, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, ESG, GHG, greenhouse gas

Offsets and RECs are two powerful and complementary approaches to combating climate change and repairing the planet.… Continue Reading

Greenhouse Gas Emission Disclosures in Real Estate Contracts and Beyond

By Stuart Kaplow on July 23, 2023 Posted in Environmental, GHG, greenhouse gas

GHG emission disclosures in contracts are a response to the new era of environmental consciousness in business… Continue Reading

Wind Rights are now Blowin’ In The Wind

By Stuart Kaplow on July 16, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Environmental, ESG, GHG, wind turbine

The first time any Texas court has held under Texas law that wind rights are severable from the land. … Continue Reading

The Power of Methane: Why Tackling Emissions Is Key to Curbing Climate Change

By Stuart Kaplow on July 9, 2023 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, ESG, GHG

One pound of methane traps 25 times more heat in the atmosphere than a pound of carbon dioxide… Continue Reading

The Evolution of Environmental Offsets: From Indulgences to Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions

By Stuart Kaplow on June 11, 2023 Posted in Environmental, ESG, GHG, greenhouse gas

Environmental offsets have come a long way since the issuance of indulgences by the medieval church. … Continue Reading

Commercial PACE: Filing the Financing Gap for GHG Reductions in Commercial Building

By Stuart Kaplow on May 20, 2023 Posted in Environmental, ESG, GHG, Green Building

PACE is a game changing solution that empowers commercial building owners to invest in sustainability… Continue Reading