When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves office in January, green building advocates lose a strong ally. But they are determined to make sure his shoes are filled to their liking.

To that end, a coalition of environmental and real estate interests are asking candidates to endorse (more…)

Now more than ever, individuals and businesses alike recognize the importance of reducing the amount of energy we consume on a daily basis in order to better maintain our global environment. Engineers and researchers have discovered that one of the most effective ways to do so is by changing the way we construct our indoor environments. According to the (more…)

A pretty big wad of money – $40 billion – is hiding somewhere inside the lights, AC, thermostats, furnaces and fans of our offices, stores, hospitals and schools.

That’s the amount of money the federal government estimates we can save annually by reducing energy use in commercial buildings 20 percent by 2020. To achieve the goal, the Obama administration in 2011 (more…)

President Barack Obama recently pushed for increased energy efficiency in his State of the Union address. His endorsement is a plus, no argument. But it may not be the federal government that drives the industry’s next growth spurt.

Increasingly, the push for clean energy seems to be more grassroots, from the city and community. (more…)

The skier’s delight rarely falls in the realm of green renewable eco-friendly holidays, but many resorts are trying to change that image. Some resorts are increasing their recycling, while others are working to have a less strenuous impact on Mother Nature. This means eco-friendly, sustainable and an awareness of how to use natural resources efficiently (more…)

Whether driven by a genuine desire to reduce their environmental footprint, or simply to insulate themselves against rising costs, energy efficiency is becoming a significant organizational goal for many companies around the country. In order to achieve these goals, businesses are looking for direction on how they can have their buildings’ designed and/or (more…)

Let me say right up front that I’m a big fan of all things green, but I’ve been feeling a bit out of it lately when it comes to sustainability. I wrote a book or two about it, and proudly wear the term greenie. I got the solar panels, the Prius, and the compost heap – the whole green nine yards. But lately I’ve wondered if the tide had turned, the world moved on, and maybe I had fallen (more…)

“Winter is coming.”

This is the common refrain in the popular book, Game of Thrones, in which kings vie to take over lands. As I thought about the green building policy mess of 2012, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Game of Thrones.

This was supposed to be the year of the USGBC’s (more…)

According to a 2011 survey conducted by The Princeton Review, 65% of students surveyed said they “would value having more information about a college’s commitment to the environment”, and 24% said a college’s commitment to the environment would impact their decision to apply to or attend a school. (more…)

Every day, it seems that people are taking more and more steps to live greener, more sustainable lives. From better recycling programs to restrictions on water use, communities and individuals everywhere are taking a good, hard look at their actions and how they affect the world. It’s no wonder then that the green building and construction industry is booming, (more…)