Business Facilities - June 2008 - (Page 10)

COVER STORY By Brian Donahue Cities large and small are racing to mandate sustainable building practices, while developers and property owners are discovering that “going green” makes good business sense. W hen Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed a comprehensive green building law in April, Los Angeles became the largest American city to date to enact strict environmental standards on private-sector construction. It joined a growing list of U.S. cities that either require or offer incentives for companies to “go green” by building or retrofitting their facilities using sustainable designs and materials. Washington D.C., through its Green Building Act of 2006, was the first major U.S. city to mandate green construction for all privately owned real estate, requiring that all new development in the city conform to the standards of the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) rating system, known as LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design). Washington is expanding this mandate in 2008 to include all publicly financed buildings, and construction of private buildings of at least 50,000 square feet, starting in 2012. The city has since 2006 offered an array of incentives, including expedited permit reviews, grants, and technical assistance for green buildings. Boston went a step further than Washington last year when it adopted a zoning code that brought renovation projects for existing buildings into the fold. Boston has since January 2007 required all new and rehabilitation projects of more than 50,000 square feet to earn either JUNE 2008 LEED certification or approval by the Boston Interagency Council, which incorporates LEED checklist items and Boston-specific credits involving transportation, energy, historic preservation and groundwater recharge. Numerous other jurisdictions, big and small, across the country have jumped on board the green building movement, crafting a diverse array of laws designed to lessen their communities’ impact on global warming by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. GREEN BUILDING IS NOW THE NORM This is just the beginning, says Brooks Rainwater, director of local relations for the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Rainwater’s recent study, “Local Leaders in Sustainability,” reveals that 14% of U.S. cities with populations of more than 50,000 have green building programs, and many more are about to follow suit. “We have been seeing this happen at an impressive rate over the last few years, as cities across the country pass green building laws that focus not only on public buildings, but [which] also incentivize green development in the private sector,” Rainwater says. “From 2003 to 2007, the number of cities with green building programs grew by 418%, from 22 to 92. Another 36 cities, as of last summer, were in the process of developing green building programs. The future for green design looks bright, as we move toward a sustainable build 10

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - June 2008

Business Facilities - June 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Metro Spotlight: Austin, TX The Greening of America Winds of Change in the Berkshires Hot Logistics Locales Metro Spotlight: New Mexico Borderplex Hollywood on the Louisiana Bayou Idaho: Gem State's Economy is Glittering Mayor's Reports New Brunswick, Canada's Export Leader Virginia: Where Business and Fun Come Together How Green Is Your Site? Maine's New Maritime Marketing Message Corporate Moves: Alabama Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - June 2008

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