A climate for change: Green building policies, programs, and incentives

Journal of Green Building

Volumn 3, Issue 2, 2008, Pages 46-63

  Sentman, Shannon D ^a   Del Percio, Stephen T ^b   Koerner, Preston ^c  

^a Holland and Knight LLP   (United States)

^b Zetlin and DeChiara   (United States)

^c A Professional Law Corporation   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 70549104495     PISSN: 15526100     EISSN: 19434618     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.3992/jgb.3.2.46     Document Type: Article

References (77)

1. Shannon D. Sentman, LEED AP, is a real estate attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Holland & Knight, where his practice focuses on sustainable development. Outside of his law practice, Mr. Sentman is on the Executive Committee of USGBC's National Capital Region Chapter (http://www.usgbcncr.org/). More information on Mr. Sentman can be found at http://www.hklaw.com/id77/extended1/biosSDSENTMA/.
2. Stephen T. Del Percio, LEED AP, is an attorney with Zetlin & De Chiara LLP's New York City office where he practices construction law with a focus on sustainable development. Mr. Del Percio shares his green building knowledge through his website http://www.greenbuildingsnyc.com/. More information on Mr. Del Percio can be found at http://www.zdlaw.com/profiles.php?contentarea=Stephen_T_Del_Percio&l inksection=associates.
3. Preston Koener is a Salt Lake City attorney with Corbridge Baird & Christensen where he practices real estate law with a focus on sustainable development. Mr. Koener shares his green building knowledge through his website http://www. jetsongreen.com/. More information on Mr. Koener can be found at http://www.jetsongreen.com/about.html.
4. U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Review 2006, June 27, 2007, available at http://www.eia.doe.gov/aer/ (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
5. More information about the Kyoto Protocol can be found on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) website at http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
6. CNN, U.S. Signs Global Warming Treaty, Nov. 12, 1998, at http://www.cnn.com/TECH/science/9811/12/climate.signing/ (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
7. S. Res. 98, 105th Congress (1997), available at http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm .cfm?congress=105&session=1&vote=00205 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
8. U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, at http://usmayors.org/climateprotection/agreement.htm (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
9. The total number of signatories is through April 25, 2008. The complete list is available at http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/list.asp (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
10. Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, 127 S.Ct. 1438 (2007).
11. Id. at 1446.
12. Id. at 1444.
13. Id. at 1447.
14. Id. at 1457.
15. Wash. Rev. Code § 39.35D (2008), available at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.35D&full=true#39.35D .010 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
16. D.C. Green Building Act of 2006, D.C. Code Ann. § 61451 (2007).
17. Mayor Martin J. Chavez, Albuquerque, NM, Executive Order Establishing High Performance Building Standards for City Projects, Mar. 28, 2005, available at http://www.cabq.gov/sustainability/images/exec-order-greenbldg (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
18. New York City, Local Law No. 86 (2005), available at http://www.nyc.gov/html/ddc/html/ddcgreen/ll86.html (last visited Apr. 16, 2008).
19. Mayor John F. Street, Philadelphia, PA, Climate Protection, Environmental Stewardship and The Office of Sustain-ability and Environment, Exec. Order No. 1-07, Apr. 25, 2007, available at http://www.phila.gov/ethicsboard/pdfs/executive%20orders/9.%20Mayor%20St reet/2006/207/1-07.pdf; see also Philadelphia Going Green, available at http://www.phila.gov/green/ (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
20. City of Houston, Resolution No. 2004-15 (2004), available at http://www.houstontx.gov/environment/pdf/ordinance-greenbuilding.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
21. USGBC, LEED Initiatives in Governments and Schools, at 32, Apr. 1, 2008, available at https://www.usgbc.org/Show-File.aspx?DocumentID=691 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
22. LEED Initiatives, supra note 24, at 21. Cranford's Sustainable Building Standards were enacted as part of a town ordinance and require all new township-owned or funded buildings to earn LEED Silver certification.
23. USGBC, Summary of Government LEED Incentives, Apr. 2008, available at http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2021 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
24. City of Gainesville, FL, Ordinance No. 001835, art. I.5, § 6-5 (Oct. 14, 2002), available at http://www.aia.org/static/state_local_resources/adv_sustainability/Model %20Language/Gainsville_ordinance.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
25. LEED Initiatives, supra note 24, at 27. Municipalities may find that their own unique circumstances drive the types of incentives that they are able to offer. Los Angeles owns its Department of Water and Power and is thus in the position to offer related incentives.
26. LEED Initiatives, supra note 24, at 15.
27. Chatham County, NC, Compact Communities Ordinance, Attachment C (Apr. 2004), available at http://www.cha-thamnc.org/Index.aspx?page=40 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
28. City of Issaquah, WA, Sustainable Building Programs, available at http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/Page.asp?NavID=326 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
29. LEED Initiatives, supra note 24, at 19.
30. San Francisco and Boston, for example, convened twelvemonth-long Task Forces at Mayor Gavin Newsome's and Thomas Menino's directive. Constituting a cross-section of local real estate industry interests, each Task Force provided recommendations which formed the basis of legislation that was introduced at each municipal level. However, as is set forth in detail later in this Section, each piece of legislation differs quite drastically in terms of the obligations that it places on private project teams.
31. City of Boston, Art. 37 (Jan. 10, 2007), available at http://www.cityofboston.gov/environmentalandenergy/pdfs/1-1-07_art_37Boa rddraft.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
32. Id. at Appendix A.
33. Simi Hoque, LEED Certified versus LEED Certifiable, Envtl. Design + Constr., Feb. 25, 2008, available at http://www.edcmag.com/Articles/Blog/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_1000000000000026 8931 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
34. Boston Green Building Law Designed to Avoid Potential Lawsuits, Inside Green Business, Jan. 10, 2007.
35. City of Babylon, NY, Local Law No. 40 (2006), available at http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2164 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
36. Cecilia M. Vega, S. F. Moves to Greenest Building Codes in U.S., S.F. Chron., Mar. 20, 2008, available at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/03/20/MN7QVMJ5T .DTL (last visited Apr. 21, 2008).
37. City of Dallas, TX, Citywide Green Building Program, Summary of Task Force Recommendations and Ordinance Requirements, Apr. 9, 2008, at http://www.dallascityhall.com/pdf/OEQ/green_building_ordinance040908.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
38. To be LEED-certifiable, new residential construction must achieve 1 point under the Indoor Water Use credit and a minimum of 4 credits under the Energy & Atmosphere category's Optimize Energy Performance credit. New commercial construction must earn 1 point under the Water Use Reduction (20 percent reduction) credit, as well as achieve 3 credits under the Optimize Energy Performance credit.
39. Wash. Rev. Code § 39.35D.030 (2005).
40. See USGBC, Public Policy Search, at http://www.usgbc.org/PublicPolicy/SearchPublicPolicies.aspx?PageID=1776 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008). USGBC's website includes a function that allows users to search existing public policy.
41. New Bill Cuts Tax Breaks for LEED Rated Projects, South Nevada Real Estate Monthly, July 2007, available at http:// www.rcg1.com/newsletters/Latest_REM.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
42. See Geoff Dornan, "Assembly halts tax breaks for 'green' business buildings," Nevada Appeal, available at http://www. nevadaappeal.com/article/20070504/ELECTIONS/105040092 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008); Nevada Legislature, Assembly Bill 621;
43. Adopted Regulation R116-07 (2007).
44. N.Y. Tax Law § 19 (Consol. 2008).
45. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 46-19.6 (2006).
46. 2007 N.C. Sess. Laws 2007-381.
47. See Governor's Green Government Council, High Performance Green Schools Planning Grants, available at http:// www.gggc.state.pa.us/gggc/cwp/view.asp?a=517&q=157146 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
48. Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings, Memorandum of Understanding, at 1 (2006), available at http://www.doi.gov/greening/buildings/SustBldgsMOU.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
49. Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, The Federal Commitment to Green Building: Experiences and Expectations, Sept. 2003, available at http://www.ofee.gov/sb/fgb_report.pdf (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
50. The Federal Commitment to Green Building, supra note 57, at Section V.
51. The Federal Commitment to Green Building, supra note 57, at Exhibit B.
52. The Federal Commitment to Green Building, supra note 57; see also Whole Building Design Guide, available at http://www.wbdg.org (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
53. The Federal Commitment to Green Building, supra note 57; see also General Services Administration, Sustainable Design Program, at http://www.gsa.gov/sustainabledesign (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
54. Currently, NASA, Smithsonian Institution, Air Force, Army, Navy, Department of Agriculture, Forestry Service, Department of Energy, Department of Energy, Department of Interior, Department of State, EPA, and GSA all have some form of mandate or policy regarding green buildings. See USGBC, Public Policy Search, at http://www.usgbc.org/PublicPolicy/SearchPublicPolicies.aspx?PageID=1776 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
55. Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Sustainable Buildings (last updated on April 27, 2008), available at http://ofee.gov/sb/sb.asp (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
56. MOU, supra note 56, at 1.
57. MOU, supra note 56, at 6-10.
58. Exec. Order No. 13423 (Jan. 24, 2007).
59. Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Instructions for Implementing Executive Order 13423, Mar, 29, 2007, at http://www.ofee.gov/eo/eo13423_instructions.pdf (last visited Apr. 27, 2008).
60. Energy Policy Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-58, 119 Stat. 594 (codified as amended).
61. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Pub. L. No. 110-140, H.R. 6, §§ 431, 433.
62. Andrew C. Burr, CoStar Group, Presidential Campaigns Tackle Green Building Policy, Mar. 13, 2008, at http://www.costar.com/News/Article.aspx?id=B6E2A8C370A3B0E015D53E831E4BE 2BE&ref=1&src=rss (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
63. Energy Star website, at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.bus_bldgs (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
64. See Energy Policy Act, supra note 68.
65. See 26 U.S.C. § 179D. This deduction was enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and effective from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. Subsequently, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, Section 204, extended the deduction through 2008.
66. See 26 U.S.C. § 45L. This deduction was enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and effective from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. Subsequently, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, Section 205, extended the deduction through 2008.
67. See 26 U.S.C. § 48. This deduction was enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and effective from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007. Subsequently, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, Section 207, extended the deduction through 2008. The 10% geothermal credit was in service prior to 2006.
68. See 26 U.S.C. § 168. Some eligible systems include solar water heat, solar space heat, solar thermal electric, solar thermal process heat, photovoltaics, wind, geothermal electric, fuel cells, solar hybrid lighting, direct use geothermal, and microturbines.
69. Charles Lockwood, As Green as the Grass Outside, Barron's, Dec. 25, 2006.
70. Amy Cortese, "'Green' Buildings Don't Have to Be New," The New York Times, Jan. 27, 2008.
71. USGBC, LEED for Existing Buildings, at http://www.usgbc.org/leed/eb (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
72. Governor Bill Owens, State of Colorado, Greening of State Government, Exec. Order No. D 005 05, July 15, 2005, available at http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/govowens/eos/eo-05/d00505.pdf (last visited Apr. 27, 2008).
73. USGBC, Public Policy Search, at http://www.usgbc.org/PublicPolicy/SearchPublicPolicies.aspx?PageID=1776 (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
74. William J. Clinton Foundation, President Clinton Announces Landmark Program to Reduce Energy Use in Buildings Worldwide, May 16, 2007, available at http://www.clintonfoundation.org/051607-nr-cf-pr-cci-president-clinton-a nnounces-landmark-program-to-reduce-energy-use-in-buildings-worldwide.ht m (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
75. Chicago Climate Exchange, at http://www.chicagoclimatex.com/ (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
76. President George W. Bush, Discussion of Climate Change, Apr. 16, 2008, at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/04/print/20080416-6.html (last visited Apr. 25, 2008).
77. Burr, supra note 70.