Green Building Law Update

Environmental Law and Sustainability for Business

Tag Archives: LEED

Green Building that Cleans the Air

Today’s green building standards, rating systems and codes are stale, largely based in decades old science and do not go far enough to be efficacious for most business to invest in. This is no longer a genuine debate over the negative environmental impact that buildings have on the planet. But the green building industrial complex … Continue Reading

European Data Privacy Law Applicable to Green Buildings

By Stuart Kaplow on May 6, 2018 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Green Building

With the upcoming May 25, 2018 effective date for the new European General Data Protection Regulation, the European Union law drafted to provide greater protections for the personal data of individuals, it is a good time to review and consider the large quantity of data generated by green buildings. The EU GDPR has long arms … Continue Reading

Maryland Expanding Green Building Thru Government Leases

By Stuart Kaplow on February 11, 2018 Posted in Green Building, LEED, State

The Maryland Green Building Council recommended a broad and deep expansion of green building leasing by state government and the Maryland Department of General Services is expected to enlarge what is a “high performance building” for the purposes of state government leasing. The anticipated regulatory change is being widely heralded as a dramatic step forward … Continue Reading

Saint Paul Green With Envy

By Stuart Kaplow on January 21, 2018 Posted in City, Green Building, Green Globes

When the Saint Paul City Council votes this Wednesday on Ordinance 17-60 it should amend the legislation to not delete, from the existing law, Green Globes as one of the approved green building standards. The work product of an advisory committee of experts, Ord 17-60 Sustainable Building Regulation Ordinance, alters and amends the 2009 Resolution … Continue Reading

Arc is Electrifying Green Building

By Stuart Kaplow on November 26, 2017 Posted in Green Building, LEED

Scot Horst at Greenbuild

Next week will be a year since the launch of Arc. Already approaching a Billion square of projects not only in the United States but also from India to Sweden and Israel to Bhutan, if you are not familiar with the Arc platform, that helps a building owner measure performance and benchmark against others, you … Continue Reading

LEED v4.1 Announced by USGBC at Greenbuild

By Stuart Kaplow on November 12, 2017 Posted in Green Building, LEED

LEED v4.1 Presentation at Greenbuild

The announcement of the upcoming release of the new LEED version 4.1 by the U.S. Green Building Council was no doubt the biggest story at Greenbuild 2017 in Boston last week. And that is saying a lot because Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building and there was much to … Continue Reading

50 Shades of Green in Montgomery County

By Stuart Kaplow on October 1, 2017 Posted in Codes and Regulations, IgCC, LEED

Green building will remain mandatory for new construction in Montgomery County, Maryland and effective December 1, 2017, the International Green Construction Code 2012 will be a permitted alternative. Montgomery County was among the first local jurisdictions in the country, in 2008, to adopt a mandatory green building law for private building, requiring most new construction … Continue Reading

The Second Best Way to Mitigate Your Risk in Green Building

By Stuart Kaplow on September 24, 2017 Posted in Green Building, IgCC, LEED

The best way to mitigate risk in your green building project are properly drafted contract documents prepared by this law firm or by another attorney with green building experience. That may sound self serving, but it is true. As I posted in this blog less than a year ago, Less than 20% of Green Building … Continue Reading

Green Globes to be Approved in Maryland

By Stuart Kaplow on August 27, 2017 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Green Building, Green Globes, LEED, State

Last week the Maryland Green Building Council voted unanimously to recommend that Green Globes, at the two Green Globes level, be approved by the Maryland Secretaries of Budget and Management and General Services as a “high performance building” as defined in Maryland law. The vote is being widely heralded as a significant step forward in … Continue Reading

Eat, Pray, Greenbuild?

By Stuart Kaplow on July 30, 2017 Posted in Green Building, LEED

I am often asked, “how can I expand my green building business?” My answer is simple and the same response I have offered for years, attend the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. This year Greenbuild is in Boston from November 8 – 10. I do not claim any particular business marketing prowess. Nor can I … Continue Reading

PACE in Maryland is Not Keeping Pace

By Stuart Kaplow on June 25, 2017 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Green Building, Solar Panel

In 2008 I said Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans “could be bigger than anything in U.S. real estate since the invention of the glass window.” But today, despite Maryland having enacted a PACE enabling law in 2014, only one PACE loan has closed in the State. By any measure, one is not an overwhelming … Continue Reading

Retailers Pay Millions for Hazardous Waste Violations

By Stuart Kaplow on June 4, 2017 Posted in Codes and Regulations, LEED

Retailers across the nation are buttressing their trash disposal practices after Dollar General Stores and Big Lots Stores paid Millions of dollars to settle civil suits for environmental violations for the unlawful disposal of hazardous waste, including customer returned merchandise and batteries. Most businesses should have a solid waste management plan to provide staff with … Continue Reading

FITWEL may be the Future of Building Sustainability

By Stuart Kaplow on March 26, 2017 Posted in Green Building, LEED, Sustainability

FITWEL, a cost effective, high impact, health promoting building certification, may be the best thing since sliced bread. The well being of building occupants is increasingly being described as the number one driver of sustainability. In the in the U.S. alone there are more than 120 million employees who spend an average of 8.1 hours … Continue Reading

Apply to be a Member of the ASHRAE Committee for Standard 189.1

By Stuart Kaplow on March 5, 2017 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Green Building, IgCC, LEED

ASHRAE is looking for new members to serve on the ASHRAE Project Committee for SSPC 189.1 Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings Except Low Rise Residential Buildings. The deadline to make application for Project Committee membership is March 15, 2017. Standards produced by ASHRAE are consensus documents developed and published to define … Continue Reading

Is there Lead in the Water of your Green Building?

By Stuart Kaplow on February 19, 2017 Posted in Environmental, Federal, Green Building

The subject of lead leaching from pipes and faucets into drinking water within buildings is not new. But the broad growth of green buildings, including green schools, that include water conservation strategies has the potential to negatively impact the quality of drinking water in those green building plumbing systems. To reduce indoor water consumption, LEED … Continue Reading

Trump Election Can Make Green Building Great Again

By Stuart Kaplow on November 10, 2016 Posted in Energy, Environmental, Federal, Green Building, IgCC, LEED

Election day 2016 in which Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States and Republicans control both houses of Congress portends huge business opportunities for green building. As the Executive and Legislative Branches look to arrest existing environmental and energy policies while driving up growth and lowering taxes, enabling voluntary green building … Continue Reading

BREEAM for Existing Buildings: The British are Coming

By Stuart Kaplow on October 30, 2016 Posted in Green Building, LEED, Sustainability

BRE Global Ltd., the 97 year old Great Britain based world’s leading authority on all aspects of the built environment (.. it all started with fire testing for homes), with over 2,247,696 BREEAM registered buildings across 77 countries in its sustainability assessment method, will before the end of the year award its first BREEAM In-Use … Continue Reading

Vancouver Leaving LEED for Zero Emission Building Mandate, But ..

By Stuart Kaplow on August 28, 2016 Posted in City, Energy, Green Building, LEED

On July 13, 2016, the Vancouver City Council approved a Zero Emissions Building Plan that is among the most aggressive by any government with the stated purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While much of the media attention has described that Vancouver is the first major city in North America to establish specific actions to achieve … Continue Reading

Attend Greenbuild – The Best Way To Grow Your Green Building Business

By Stuart Kaplow on August 14, 2016 Posted in Green Building, LEED, Sustainability

I am often asked, “how can I expand my green building business?” My answer is simple and the same response I have offered for years, attend the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. This year Greenbuild is in Los Angeles from October 5 – 7. I do not claim any particular business marketing prowess, but Greenbuild … Continue Reading

Miami Beach’s New Green Building Tax

By Stuart Kaplow on July 10, 2016 Posted in Codes and Regulations, Green Building, LEED, Local Government, Sustainability

Some years ago an ordinance enacted by the City of Miami Beach received accolades across the globe when it protected endangered sea turtles that nest on the beaches of Miami Beach, by “restricting artificial lighting and other activities that disorient turtle hatchlings, causing them to crawl toward land rather than toward the ocean.” However, a … Continue Reading

Can the EDGE Green Building System Save the Planet?

By Stuart Kaplow on May 22, 2016 Posted in Green Building, LEED, Sustainability

Bathroom in tea house, Dingboche, Nepal

If you are regular reader of this blog you are aware there has been a brief hiatus in postings. I have been climbing in the Himalayas in Nepal for the past month and, in fact, am composing this blog post sitting in the lobby of the Yak and Yeti hotel in Kathmandu, as I begin … Continue Reading

What the LEED Pilot for Wood Is and What It Is Not

By Stuart Kaplow on April 17, 2016 Posted in Environmental, Green Building, LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council is to be applauded for the release last week of the new pilot credit MRpc102 – Legal Wood. There may be no single subject matter more discussed with over the 15 year history of LEED than forest product certification. And that this new pilot credit continues the discussion is positive. … Continue Reading

Now is the Time to Revise your Green Building Contracts

By Stuart Kaplow on April 3, 2016 Posted in Green Building, Green Globes, LEED, Sustainability

Today is the day to revise your contracts for sustainable projects. With the U.S. Green Building Council’s recent announcement that all new projects registering for LEED 2009 beginning later this week, on April 8, 2016, will need to satisfy increased minimum energy performance thresholds, everyone involved with LEED projects should promptly review their contract documents … Continue Reading

USGBC Certifying Green Parking Garages Déjà Vu

By Stuart Kaplow on February 7, 2016 Posted in Environmental, Green Building, LEED, Sustainability

Last month the U.S. Green Building Council announced that its certification body, the Green Business Certification Inc. will now administer the Green Garage Certification Program with its acquisition of the Green Parking Council. In spite of the speculation over whether Uber means more car miles or less and what impact Zipcar and other car sharing … Continue Reading