The ESG Report - From Sustainability to ESG in Construction with Tommy Linstroth
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 225: Sustainable Living and Emergency Preparedness (w/Friday Apaliski)
With an unprecedented momentum for the construction of new major projects linked to the shift away from fossil fuels and the development of a low-carbon economy, there is a real focus on construction law issues relevant to...more
Regulators at all levels are seeking to advance climate-change related policies. Of late, municipalities have increasingly sought to “decarbonize” buildings and related infrastructure through changes to building codes and...more
Recognising the threat of climate change and the importance of sustainable development, Singapore has made a commitment to establishing a robust framework of environmental and climate change laws and regulations – an...more
In this Insight, first published in PLC, Freya Scott discusses the RICS Sustainability Report 2023, considers some of the barriers to achieving the carbon net zero goal by 2050 and what can be done to overcome these. ...more
Allocating the Risks and Benefits of Green Construction- Sustainable (or “green”) construction practices and the trend toward green buildings are here to stay, driven not only by federal, state, and local legislation, tax...more
On July 31, 2023, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed an executive order ending the use of fossil fuels in new construction and major renovations of city-owned buildings. Although city buildings comprise a small percentage of...more
One year after the adoption of New York’s Advanced Building Codes, Appliance and Equipment Efficiency Standards Act, New York has new minimum energy efficiency standards for products and appliances. The standards, which apply...more
According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of Americans view climate change as a major threat and two-thirds believe that the government and corporations should be doing more to address climate change. Young...more
On April 24th, the City Planning Commission referred the first of Mayor Eric Adams’ “City of Yes” zoning text amendments for public review. The proposed text amendment, prepared by the Department of City Planning in close...more
Since retiring from environmental leadership positions at the World Bank, I have taken on teaching assignments including a course entitled “Circular Economy in the Construction Sector”. The students taking this course are...more
Across the real estate sector, the discussion has often focused on “green” development such as building carbon neutral real estate. Many traditional lenders have also focused their sustainability initiatives on financing...more
Against the ambitious backdrop set by the Paris Climate Agreement to reach net-0 by 2050, there is a clear drive by corporations to move forward on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) or sustainability...more
In recent years there has been recognition within the UK construction industry of the importance of the reduction of carbon emissions. Major standard forms have responded to market demand and made provision for carbon...more
Sustainability concerns are generally viewed through the lens of carbon footprints, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution rates. However, some industry experts believe in a more multifaceted perspective to address impacts...more
Much has been said about the need for countries and companies to build a low-carbon global economy. Multiple estimates of the amount of capital that will be needed to fund the energy transition over the next several decades...more
On this week’s episode of Sustainable Outlook, Molly Barker of K&L Gates interviews Courtney Blodgett of Edo, which is a startup energy venture that works to enable building-to-grid integration and reduce building costs for...more
Planning legislation has been framed over many years to grapple with climate change and there is no doubt that there is real impetus at all levels of development to ensure that climate targets are met. In this blog we discuss...more
Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey signed an Ordinance Amending City of Boston Code, Ordinances, Chapter VII, Sections 7-2.1 and 7-2.2, Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure (BERDO 2.0) into law on Oct. 5, 2021. The amended...more
In our June 16 CMA Update, we discussed how the New York City Climate Mobilization Act (CMA) will affect building owners and the market for CMBS mortgage loans (loans pooled and resold as commercial mortgage-backed...more
Green buildings 'unheralded hero' in emissions fight, experts say - Bullet Smart Cities Dive – December 10 - President-elect Joe Biden's plan to upgrade the buildings sector and make it more energy efficient could be...more
Senior Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Jan. 9, 2020, released a comprehensive legislative framework to combat climate change targeting net-zero emissions by 2050. The latest in the series of sweeping...more
What are the main sustainability issues currently affecting the real estate industry? And what are the practical implications – will they cause a change in behaviour? Recent months have seen schoolchildren going on...more
The issue of climate change couldn’t be more topical. But what is “net zero carbon”? Is it just another buzzword and what does it really mean? The UK Green Building Council has this week published its Framework Definition on...more
New York City and Los Angeles have announced unprecedented plans to address climate change with an emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings. New York City enacted a legislation package requiring certain...more
On April 22, 2019, the New York City Council celebrated Earth Day by enacting the “Climate Mobilization Act” into law. The centerpiece of this important legislative package is Introduction 1253-2018 (“Intro 1253”)....more