If you thought the earth beneath your feet was solid; think again. Land owners and energy industry prospectors are busy in Eastern Ohio, West Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania looking for pockets of natural gas embedded in the Marcellus Shale buried deep beneath the surface. Named for the town where it all started, Marcellus, New
Value of Walkability
According to walkscore.com a walkable neighborhood has:
1) A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a center, whether it’s a main street or a public space.
2) People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to run frequently
3) Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
4) Parks and public space: Plenty of
Green Leasing Unveiled – Part 1
As the movement to increase energy efficiency and create sustainable operations has swept across the real estate industry, more and more commercial tenants and property owners are expressing interest in “green leasing.”
What, exactly, is a “green lease?”
To be sure there is no form green lease; rather the term describes the evolution from a traditional, split incentive triple-net commercial lease to a lease that aligns incentives so that landlord and tenant are collectively pursuing goals of energy efficiency and sustainable practices. Typically, a green lease will include measuring criteria or rules that implement all or portions of ratings systems such as Energy Star® and the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED™ program.
This post is the first in a series examining in detail some of the changes one may see when using a green lease. Today’s topics: Lease term and operating expenses.
USGBC AND ITS FOUNDERS SUED OVER THE LEED™ GREEN BUILDING RATINGS SYSTEM
A federal lawsuit in New York that involves Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO") claims is one of the latest developments in the United States Green Building Council’s ("USGBC") development and administration of the LEED™ building ratings system. The lawsuit appears highly contentious to say the least. Plaintiffs Henry Gifford and Gifford Fuel Saving, Inc. initiated a class
Chinese Drywall Developments
To follow up on a series of prior posts, the Internal Revenue Service will now allow taxpayers with defective drywall to deduct the cost of repairs and replacement of damaged appliances in the year in which the loss occurred. In Revenue Procedure 2010-36, the IRS has, however, imposed certain restrictions which include that the
Contractors, Landlords, and Property Managers Must Take Care to Comply with New Lead Paint Regulations
Pursuant to a new rule passed by the Environmental Protection Agency, all contractors, landlords, and property managers performing or hiring for painting projects that disturb lead-based paint must now become "lead-safe" certified before performing work on houses built before 1978. The new requirement also applies to weatherization projects, and to schools, day care facilities, or other commercial properties occupied by children.
Get Informed: Green Building is Here to Stay
Green building is quickly becoming the "norm" across America, and those who are not familiar with it could be missing important opportunities in today’s construction climate. The United States Green Building Council ("USGBC") is a non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone. USGBC developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Supreme Court Rules Beach Additions Not Compensable Takings
Truckloads of sand will begin cascading across hurricane-battered beaches along the Destin and Walton County shorelines, thanks to a recent 8-0 decision by the Supreme Court. Coastal homeowners originally sued Florida arguing that the Beach Erosion Control Program (BECP) would cause the value of their homes to decline, turning their “oceanfront” property into “ocean view&rdquo
ODOD Announces Start of “Making Efficiency Work” Funding
The Ohio Department of Development has announced the availability of $8,000,000 in grant funding for qualifying energy efficiency projects undertaken at existing multi-family, commercial, and institutional buildings. The goal of the program is to encourage the installation of energy efficiency equipment that will measurably improve the energy efficiency of existing multi-family, commercial, and institutional buildings. The program
A Fuel Cell for the Rest of US
Recently, 60 Minutes aired a story about Bloom Energy, a Silicon Valley alternative energy start-up, which has developed fuel cell technology capable of taking us off of the electrical grid. The video speaks for itself so watch it below. As you watch it, think about how technology such as this will transform the real estate