Green Building Law Update

The Intersection of Real Estate, Science, and Law

Archives: greenhouse gas

Reduce Methane Emissions with Kitchen Garbage Disposals

By embracing in sink garbage disposals and complementing them with waste reduction and composting efforts, we can all play a part in slowing climate change and creating a more sustainable future.… Continue Reading

Maryland Governor Executive Order Mandates Climate Action

By Stuart Kaplow on June 23, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, GHG, greenhouse gas, State

The executive order mandates comprehensive economy wide actions in both the public and private sectors, to place Maryland ahead of all other states in mitigating climate change… Continue Reading

White House Unveils Commitment to Carbon Offsets

By Stuart Kaplow on June 2, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Federal, GHG, greenhouse gas

Voluntary carbon offsets are indispensable tools for organizations striving to achieve net zero emissions, particularly those unable to generate enough onsite renewable energy. … Continue Reading

Constitutional Rights vs. Climate Change: Inside the Juliana Case Dismissal

By Stuart Kaplow on May 12, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Environmental, greenhouse gas

The Ninth Circuit’s decision that environmental climate change is not justiciable is already having repercussions… 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

EV Charger Data Apocalypse

By Stuart Kaplow on March 17, 2024 Posted in Climate Change, Energy, GHG, greenhouse gas

I don’t think this is some secret coterie of tech companies and governments seeking to weaponize EV chargers, but it is malfeasance at a huge scale and the transgression will certainly do more harm than good . … 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

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

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

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

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

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

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