FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
Join Us For The 75th Anniversary Midyear Meeting Sep 7-11 ↗

States powering new, innovative green building policy

Words: Jeremy Adkins/Public/News/20110903115500-1.jpg" width="600" height="338" border="0" alt="A bill in Connecticut established the nation's first state-managed "green bank"." />
A bill in Connecticut established the nation's first state-managed "green bank".
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released a report highlighting positive green building policy advancements being made in all 50 states. The report, "Advancing Green Building Policy in the States: 2011 Victories from Alabama to Wyoming," showcases actions that states are taking to transform the market, despite a struggling economy.

"This report is a goldmine of creative approaches to driving a green economy where super efficient buildings become the norm rather than the exception," said Roger Platt, Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Law, USGBC.

"Given the public's demand that government do more with less, well targeted investments at the state level can actually inspire innovation, unlock efficiency and promote public health all while creating and maintaining jobs," added Platt.

Among the hundreds of strong ideas that have been initiated by state legislatures and regulatory authorities this year, 25 states have taken another step forward. The newly adopted policies are wide ranging, covering energy efficiency finance, investments in high-performance schools and incentives for green homes and manufacturing facilities, in addition to new minimum codes.

Highlights include:
  • A "cool schools" bill was adopted in Oregon, which would allow the state to repair and retrofit aging schools to reduce operational costs and create jobs. This will also promote human and environmental health in the buildings where 20 percent of America spends its time.

  • A bill in Connecticut established the nation's first state-managed "green bank" - also known as the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority - which leverages government dollars to provide financing for clean energy and efficiency projects across the state.

  • A new law in Colorado now provides incentives for homeowners to improve both the energy efficiency of their existing home and also to purchase a "highly efficient new home," such as one that is LEED certified.

  • In New York, a new law establishes a revolving loan fund that enables property owners to access financing for retrofits and energy efficiency upgrades and to repay the loan with savings earned on utility bills.

  • A Maryland act now enables the adoption of a national model green building code by all local governments across the state.
The full report can be viewed here. Visit USGBC's blog for more details.

For more information on USGBC's advocacy and public policy work, visit www.usgbc.org/government.
 0
From Bikes to Buildings: Part 2
September 2025

As rainscreen wall designs become increasingly prevalent in today’s construction environment, there have been questions regarding their design. How wide should the capillary break be? How do we create this capillary break? Can the same methods be used i

Keith Lolley
Technical Talks
Read More
Vibing Masonry #8: CMU’s Durability and Maintenance Value
September 2025

Heading to Spokane, WA, I found myself riding the airport tram at O’Hare in Chicago. Looking out the window at a part of the 26-year-old International Terminal 5, I spotted a painted structural steel beam in front of a concrete masonry unit (CMU) wall. Th

Steve Blye
Technical Talks
Read More
Keeping it Clean: Lifecycle Maintenance for Manufactured Stone Veneer
September 2025

One of the many benefits of manufactured stone veneer is that it’s a robust, durable product that requires little maintenance over the course of its life span. In fact, its irregularity in shape and color helps hide minor dirt and dust. But like any build

Jeff Tew
Technical Talks
Read More
MCAA's Wall Evaluator: The Future of Masonry Training and Assessment
September 2025

MCAA Wall Evaluator, Masonry Training, Masonry Assessment, 3D Scanner, AR Glasses, Digital Twin, Digital Mesh, Point Cloud, Infrared VCSEL, Vocational Technology, EdTech, Standardized Assessment, Objective Evaluation, Data-Driven Feedback, Portable Traini

Dan Kamys Jason Blake Jeff Buczkiewicz Jordan Van Leeuwen
Read More