A Flexible But Enforceable Green Building Code

As energy costs approach record levels, towns and municipalities are striving to establish standards and increase their sustainability profile. Currently, there is no lack of confusion on how best to make buildings energy-efficient and sustainable using regulatory approaches. With a plethora of checklists and rating systems (and a lot of debate as to what approach is truly effective) it is imperative that local governments have a credible, enforceable and adoptable code in place. It is through the effective application and enforcement of standardized codes that the most meaningful improvements to the health, safety and welfare of the public have been achieved.

(For more on sustainability and best practices in the built space, read Better Buildings, appearing quarterly in Real Estate Forum.)