You may have recently read the New York Times article about the gap between LEED building designs and actual energy performance. If not, I would recommend reading the article. You may have also noticed a reference to "construction lawyers":
"Already, some construction lawyers have said that owners might face additional risk of lawsuits if buildings are [...]
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September 2nd, 2009 | Posted in CTG, Christopher Pyke, Energetics", LEED, Legal Developments, Malcolm Lewis,, New York Times, USGBC
Today, I am starting work at a new law firm: Crowell & Moring. I am excited and I think you will see why with a single story.
My last day at my previous law firm was August 19. What did I do on my first day off? Sadly, I wrote blog posts. I have to [...]
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August 31st, 2009 | Posted in Crowell & Moring, Green Building Introduction, Legal Developments
[I am on vacation this week in Phoenix and then Kansas City so I bring you guest posts and interviews! I met each of the guest authors or interviewees somewhere along the way and asked them to contribute.
When I was in New Orleans for the ABA Forum on Construction event, I met up with former [...]
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August 28th, 2009 | Posted in Asha Echeverria, Legal Developments
[I am on vacation this week in Phoenix and then Kansas City so I bring you guest posts and interviews! I met each of the guest authors or interviewees somewhere along the way and asked them to contribute.
Ben Shultz works at R. Shultz Electric, an electrical contractor in Kansas City. I also went to [...]
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August 26th, 2009 | Posted in Construction, Legal Developments, R. Shultz Electric
When I first read about Energy Ace’s LEED certification guarantee, I thought it was nuts.
Then I read a Co-Star article and realized Energy Ace’s guarantee was brilliant.
When I read a green building regulation, I always look at the enforcement mechanism. And when I look at a green building contract, I always focus [...]
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August 21st, 2009 | Posted in Construction, Design, Energy Ace, LEED, Legal Developments
Energy Ace Inc., an Atlanta-based sustainability consulting firm, has publicly announced it will guarantee LEED certification for its projects. Of course, there are limitations to the guarantee:
"Energy Ace is guaranteeing LEED™ certification on projects where the firm is able to oversee LEED™ administration, Fundamental Commissioning and Energy Modeling, and where the project team is [...]
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August 19th, 2009 | Posted in Construction, Design, Energy Ace, Legal Developments
Reminder: Don’t forget to register for Green Building Law Update’s Birthday Happy Hour this Thursday!
This week, we are going to be looking at an issue near and dear to me: guarantees of LEED certification. Two publications from last week made clear to me the wide variety of views on the issue:
(1) Washington Business Journal’s On [...]
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August 17th, 2009 | Posted in Business, Construction, Design, Energy Ace, Journal, LEED, Legal Developments, Vandana Sinha, Washington
Over the past week, we have been discussing AIG’s AIGRMGreen Reputation Coverage. I had speculated that this insurance might cover bad press resulting from allegations of greenwashing.
Turns out, AIG’s insurance product covers more than just bad press.
Mark Rabkin, my green building insurance guru, located a copy (PDF) of the AIGRMGreen Reputation Coverage. From [...]
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August 5th, 2009 | Posted in AIGRMGreen Reputation Coverage, Insurance, Legal Developments
I have previously speculated that stimulus green building projects will be at risk of underbidding. Now we have real evidence. Remember the $5.5 billion that the General Services Administration received from the stimulus to fund green building construction and retrofits?
"Bids came in far lower than we expected, but the upside is that because of [...]
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July 24th, 2009 | Posted in Construction, Design, GSA, General Services Administration, LEEDigation, Legal Developments, underbid
You may be relieved to learn that I am temporarily done discussing LEED de-certification. The USGBC will be releasing an addenda to the Minimum Project Requirements, at which time we will discuss this issue anew. Until then, lets move on…to another LEED legal discussion.
One green building legal development that I, and others, have been [...]
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July 22nd, 2009 | Posted in Codes and Regulations, Connecticut, Constitution, LEED, Legal Developments, State