Sorry, I won’t be answering this rhetorical question today. Instead, a group of construction, design and surety legal experts will attempt to address this difficult question at an upcoming symposium: What: Trends in Green Building Seminar Who: Tom Mawson – The USGBC and Trends in Green Building; Chris Cheatham – The Emergence of Green Building Litigation; Bryan Phillips … Continue Reading
During my speaking engagements regarding green building legal issues, I have noticed that the same questions keep coming up. I thought I would begin to answer some of these questions for Green Building Law Update readers that have the similar questions. Question: When should I take the LEED Accredited Professional (AP) examination? This is a … Continue Reading
Here at Green Building Law Update, we remain troubled by the disbanding of the proposed ASHRAE 189.1 green building code committee, but we have to point out one bright spot. As you may recall, last week we discussed the merits of the “Proposed Standard 189: Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise … Continue Reading
As the economy continues to stumble along, the effects on the green building industry are starting to emerge. Green Building Law Update previously predicted that LEED certification would find itself on the chopping block and specific examples were discussed. Now, via Jetson Green, an even more stark example has emerged: Google Puts Plans for … Continue Reading
Last week, Green Building Law Update questioned whether governments should be requiring LEED certification through regulations and mandates. Assuming governments should get out of the green building certification business, what then should governments do to support green construction strategies? There are generally two options, one of which we will discuss today: green building codes. Green … Continue Reading
On Tuesday, hopefully you are planning on exercising your civic duty to vote. Here at Green Building Law Update, we try to remain non-partisan but we could not ignore this monumental election. Thankfully, though, the candidates have made it easy for us. Did you know that a vote for either Barack Obama or John McCain will … Continue Reading
The final Green Building Law Update epiphany for the week will come in the form of a headline I came across this past weekend: In the LEED: Green certification will be the norm in a few years Last week, Green Building Law Update focused on how the economic downturn may result in a slowdown of green … Continue Reading
In continuing our week of epiphanies, here’s another one that struck us here at Green Building Law Update: should governments consider getting out of the green building certification process? Yes, I realize this epiphany is out there and that practically every state has implemented some sort of green building regulation. Over the past few months, … Continue Reading
Over the weekend, we here at Green Building Law Update had some green building epiphanies. So let’s start with epiphany number one. As I was driving into my law firm’s office in Tyson’s Corner on Saturday, I looked out at the construction and thought to myself, why am I not writing about that? This isn’t … Continue Reading
Today we are going to take a hiatus from the discussions of green building in the current financial markets and, instead, wrap up what potentially could have been major green building litigation. On October 17, 2008, the Lerner family and the D.C. Government resolved litigation stemming from the LEED-Silver certified Washington Nationals Stadium. … Continue Reading
As part of our review of the economic downturn’s effect on green building, on Monday we looked at private projects that have cut LEED certification due to associated costs. Today, we move from private projects to public projects. Despite this shift, the theme is the same: the economic downturn will result in less public projects … Continue Reading
Previously, Green Building Law Update wrote that the struggling financial sector may impact the number of projects seeking LEED certification. This past weekend, an article highlighting this point came across my desk that I had to share. Gazette.Net profiled numerous green building projects in Maryland that, despite initially incorporating numerous green building strategies, will not … Continue Reading
Green Building Law Update would be remiss if it did not comment on the recent financial struggles and the impact these events will have on the green building industry. Simply put, here at GBLU, we anticipate scaled back green building efforts as developers struggle to obtain financing. A recent article in Globe and Mail (Canada’s … Continue Reading
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of serving as a Judge for the AGC of DC’s Washington Contractor Awards. One of the awards passed out was for the most Sustainable Company. Until I reviewed the applications, I had no idea the extent of sustainability programs being undertaken by green building contractors. A recent … Continue Reading
To finish off the week at Green Building Law Update, we are going to attempt to answer another reader question with the help of all the readers out there. In a previous post, Anna MacLeod posted the following question: I need to find some DC-based architect, commercial building development companies, etc… Anyone who would be affected … Continue Reading
Way back on August 13, GBLU’s inaugural post focused on the impending green building litigation and factors that would cause the litigation. One of the factors that was described focused on parties’ financial expectations: “Parties undertaking green building projects for purely financial reasons will expect to make a profit.” In order to make a profit … Continue Reading
On September 15, I had the opportunity to serve as a judge for the Associated General Contractors of DC’s Washington Contractor Awards for green buildings. Tabbed the “2008 Anti-Boring Event of the Year,” contractors from across the D.C. metro area will gather on October 7 to honor this year’s award recipients. I reviewed and voted … Continue Reading
Over the Labor Day weekend, I had the pleasure of returning to my alma mater and attending the Orange Bowl Champion University of Kansas Jayhawks’ opening game of the college football season. While I was in Kansas, I remembered one of the more memorable recent green building developments: after being decimated by a powerful tornado, … Continue Reading
In 2007, my firm, Watt Tieder Hoffar & Fitzgerald, was retained to work on what potentially could have been the largest construction case in history: litigation arising from Hurricane Katrina flooding and the New Orleans levee structure. While we never went to trial, as part of our preparations for the case, I found myself in New Orleans … Continue Reading
As part of GBLU’s monitoring of green building regulations and codes, GBLU will provide timely information regarding government green building programs that may be of interest to you. Below is information about a Green Roof subsidy being offered by the Government of the District of Columbia, District Department of the Environment. Please note, applications are … Continue Reading
On August 7, I had the pleasure of attending the USGBC National Captial Region’s annual event, a Midsummer Night’s Green. This year, the event was held in the stunning World Bank Atrium. Tyler Coffey of Sigal Construction did a great job choosing the venue and organizing the event. Bisnow on Business has a good summary of … Continue Reading
