May 9, 2007—Local governments and organizations throughout the US are finding ways to encourage green building, according to the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
- In DC, the Green Building Act of 2006 went into effect in early March, setting new standards for district-owned buildings and privately owned non-residential buildings.
- Los Angeles, CA, is encouraging green building by expediting the process for providing water and electrical connections for new LEED-rated buildings. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has also committed to build new facilities to a minimum of the LEED Silver rating.
- In Cleveland , OH, the city’s two largest foundations—The Cleveland Foundation and The George Gund Foundation—have decided to award capital grants only to building or renovation projects that seek LEED certification.
EERE maintains that these local efforts are important on a global scale, as the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) recently noted that buildings account for 30 to 40 percent of global energy use and can play a key role in combating global warming.
