With terms like “net zero” and “carbon positive” proliferating in marketing jargon across industries, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has recently stepped in to clarify what constitutes a “zero emissions” building....more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a news release announcing what it describes as its “Top Cities” list that have the greatest number of ENERGY STAR certified commercial and multifamily...more
On April 22, 2024, the U.S. government issued a final rule ("Rule") to restructure and update the Federal Acquisition Regulation ("FAR") to implement a requirement for agencies to procure sustainable products and services to...more
The Maryland Department of the Environment ("MDE") will publish proposed rules limiting greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions from covered buildings and requiring covered building owners to submit detailed energy performance...more
As part of its Federal Sustainability Plan, the Biden administration has issued a proposed rule that would revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) to incentivize federal government buyers to prioritize the...more
At a time when the impact of climate change is at the forefront, countries are taking measures to fight against it and terms like Energy Star and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications have become...more
With increased importance placed on environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, and with numerous companies prioritizing socially conscious goals, many landlords and tenants have implemented “Green Leases” as part...more
Recently, there has been an uptick in Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) factors being considered and incorporated into commercial real estate transactions. As the focus on mitigating climate change has risen, the...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a November 30th news release recognizing 580 manufacturing plants that are participating in the agency’s ENERGY STAR program. The EPA news release includes...more
1. Recent Enforcement: Even Companies That Invest in Compliance Pay Penalties- Since our April enforcement roundup, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced its annual ENERGY STAR Awards. Entergy Arkansas, LLC (“Entergy Arkansas”) was one of the companies named as a “Partner of the Year....more
Developers and landlords faced the first generation of “green building” initiatives with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and EPA’s Energy Star programs. Now, the states are ready to embark...more
Sustainable Development Focus - Housing crisis prompts San Diego to pursue 'inclusionary' legislation opposed by developers - THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE - Aug 18 San Diego officials say they plan to follow the lead of...more
This March, the California Energy Commission (CEC) promulgated regulations implementing the energy “benchmarking” requirements of AB802 (2015). Subject to limited exceptions, owners of commercial buildings 50,000 square feet...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced that American Electric Power Southwestern Electric Power Company (“AEP SWEPCO”) is an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. EPA states that the company was...more
The California Energy Commission recently released its proposed regulations under Assembly Bill 802 (AB 802) to replace the now defunct Assembly Bill 1103 (AB 1103), codified as Public Resource Code Section 25402.10. The key...more
Sustainable Development Focus - Trump wants to cut programs that help buildings save energy. This new study says they work. Washington Post - Mar 27 New research suggests that programs for improving energy...more
The Trump Administration unveiled significant rollbacks in funding for federal agencies when it released its Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again on March 16, 2017. The President's proposed budget priorities would...more
Last week, the White House unveiled its $1.65 trillion blueprint for the FY2018 federal budget, which prioritizes discretionary defense spending, with an increase of $54 billion to $603 billion, by reducing total non-defense...more
Sustainable Development Focus - Hollywood office building takes the gold - Commercial Property Executive - Aug 23 - Kilroy Realty Corp. has earned two LEED Gold certifications for 469,000 square feet of the...more
Sustainable Development Focus - Burgeoning green building materials market set to reach $255B by 2020 - Construction Dive - Aug 3 - The global green building materials market is on pace to hit $255 billion by...more
The Energize Denver Task Force, a task force created in December 2015 by the City and County of Denver, recently recommended specific energy efficiency benchmarking measures for commercial and multifamily residential...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) appears to have significantly increased its enforcement of the ENERGY STAR Program’s conformity verification rules over the past year. During 2015, under the broad category of...more
Hit Pause on Energy Use Disclosure - Pursuant to California Assembly Bill (AB) 1103, the Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosure Program required an owner (or an agent authorized to act on behalf of an owner) of...more
Current Disclosure Requirements for Building Owners and Tenants Repealed - A complicated energy reporting requirement for owners and tenants of commercial and multifamily buildings is ending under a new law that takes...more