There is no question that green building is moving into the mainstream of construction in the United States. Both private and public owners are frequently requiring that their new or renovated projects obtain recognition as “green” buildings—a label achieved by meeting certain standards of third-party rating entities such as the U.S. Green Building Council and its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. While many owners decide to build green voluntarily, some governments now require, or at least incentivize, green certification.
Contractors should be aware of the green nuances of public projects. Due in major part to political considerations, public entities are now cognizant of minimizing the impact of the construction process on the environment through site layout and use, energy use, waste management and procurement. Green building means, methods and performance are increasingly becoming contract requirements. Therefore, many contractors are encountering risks that they didn’t have to worry about prior to the “green wave.”