Across the country, government officials are scrambling to award and spend American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding before upcoming deadlines. If you are a contractor or subcontractor lucky enough to work on one of these projects, congratulations! Now comes the tough part. Working on a federal or state-funded project brings a myriad of regulatory … Continue Reading
[I have said many times that the legal principles that will apply to green building projects will be very similar to existing legal principles in the construction law field. Going forward, on Fridays we will be reviewing legal developments from the construction industry that most likely will be applied to green building projects.] If … Continue Reading
Back in January 2010, I said this: "Government officials and citizens are going to expect results form the significant investments in the green movement (particularly in an election year). In 2010, the nation will begin to decide if investments in the green building and renewable energy industries were worth it." Not one month later, it … Continue Reading
I often get the same question about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: where are the green jobs and projects? A recent Wall Street Journal article sheds light on that question: "The Obama administration’s economic-stimulus program has delivered about a third of its total $787 billion budget during its first year, much of that to … Continue Reading
The green building industry is entering an interesting period. In 2009, the green building movement was embraced as a solution to economic and environmental problems. "Green jobs" were touted as a way to improve the economy while reducing unemployment. Investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures was championed as a way to reduce greenhouse … Continue Reading
[Happy New Year! Today we are highlighting the green building legal story from 2009 that will have the most impact on the industry in 2010. At the beginning of 2009, Congress and the Obama Administration spent months crafting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which eventually included over $25 billion for green projects. Less attention … Continue Reading
2009 was my first full year blogging at Green Building Law Update. It was a difficult year for the construction industry, but the green building movement continued to grow. I recently went back and reviewed the Green Building Law Update stories from 2009. Below are some of my favorite quotes from my favorite posts. If … Continue Reading
If you are a contractor lucky enough to have won a stimulus project, one of the pesky requirements attached to the project is reporting the number of new jobs created by the project. Many builders and contractors have been wondering how exactly to do that. Finally, at long last, the White House has provided clarity: … Continue Reading