Creating Incentives for Sustainable Buildings: A Comparative Law Approach Featuring the United States and the European Union
By Nancy J. King and Brian J. King
ABSTRACT
Sustainable commercial buildings use less energy, have reduced environmental impacts, and improve the quality of life for those who work or live in the buildings and surrounding communities. In the United States, some states have enacted laws that create financial incentives to encourage businesses to adopt sustainable construction practices relating to the construction or renovation of commercial buildings. These financial incentives include tax credits, financial grants, streamlined government permitting processes, and exemptions or relaxations of zoning restrictions and other laws. Some governmental bodies make incentives available to businesses in the United States that follow voluntary national “green building” standards developed by the building industry. This article explores and analyzes the benefits and limitations of government-provided financial incentives that encourage businesses to build sustainable buildings in the United States. It also compares the policies and incentives for sustainable construction found in laws of the United States to those of the European Union. Finally, this article proposes a way to further encourage sustainable construction in the United States by modifying model and local building codes and enacting targeted federal tax credits.
Sustainable commercial buildings use less energy, have reduced environmental impacts, and improve the quality of life for those who work or live in the buildings and surrounding communities. In the United States, some states have enacted laws that create financial incentives to encourage businesses to adopt sustainable construction practices relating to the construction or renovation of commercial buildings. These financial incentives include tax credits, financial grants, streamlined government permitting processes, and exemptions or relaxations of zoning restrictions and other laws. Some governmental bodies make incentives available to businesses in the United States that follow voluntary national “green building” standards developed by the building industry. This article explores and analyzes the benefits and limitations of government-provided financial incentives that encourage businesses to build sustainable buildings in the United States. It also compares the policies and incentives for sustainable construction found in laws of the United States to those of the European Union. Finally, this article proposes a way to further encourage sustainable construction in the United States by modifying model and local building codes and enacting targeted federal tax credits.
