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Tag Archives | Green Building Law
San Francisco’s Proposed Green Building Legislation: Progressive or Plain LEED Creep?
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has proposed some of the country’s toughest green building legislation applicable to private construction.
Green Insurance Law: Industry Thoughts on BIM and LEED Coverage for Design Professionals
The standard of care for designers is “changing rapidly,” in large part due to the power of BIM technologies and the proliferation of systems like LEED.
The Top 5 Legal Issues to Consider on Green Construction Projects
I had the opportunity last week to attend an excellent CLE that was offered by American Land. The program focused on the legal issues that attorneys must remain particularly mindful of when advising clients on green real estate projects. The Braganca Law helps you with your legal matters. Accordingly, here are gbNYC’s top five legal […]
Surety Industry Raises Red Flags Over D.C. Green Building Act
Concerns over LEED creep (the application of LEED mandates to private projects) include the potential for awkwardly- or hastily-drafted legislation to change the risk structure associated with a given green construction project for various project stakeholders. For example, back in early August, the Surety and Fidelity Association of America (“SFAA”) and the National Association of […]
LEED-AP Designation Not Just for A/E/C
It’s no surprise that this week’s edition of Crain’s reports an increasing number of real estate brokers, marketing professionals, and, yes, lawyers, who are sitting for the U.S. Green Building Council’s exam in pursuit of the LEED Accredited Professional (“LEED-AP”) designation. (The article is not yet available online). Depending on the industry, though, professionals are […]
Is LEED Legislation- Whether Public or Private- Undemocratic?
In an article written earlier this week, Dan Walters, a columnist at the Sacramento Bee, articulated his concerns over a LEED-driven green public building regulatory scheme by calling such legislation “part of a broader legislative tendency to avoid tough policy decisions by shifting them to unaccountable outside organizations.” Walters was writing with respect to California’s […]
Revisions to Wicks Law Stall; Albany Vows to Push Forward
Back in March, gbNYC joined various industry leaders in calling on Albany to repeal the Wicks Law, anachronistic 1920s-era legislation that requires municipal owners in the State of New York, including New York City, to use four separate contractors on any construction project greater than $50,000 for general construction, plumbing and gas fitting, heating and […]
Green Business Law: Need for Green Counsel Becoming Increasingly Salient as Green Claims are Brought Against Design Professionals
I’ve written before about the potential for design professionals to unwittingly expose themselves to unanticipated risks on green construction projects. In a presentation at last month’s 2007 AIA National Convention in San Antonio, Frank Musica, an attorney with a Maryland-based insurance company, provided an overview of twenty-one actual “green claims” brought against engineers and architects. […]