By Celeste M. Hammond and Virginia M. Harding
Thanks to the 800-pound gorilla, otherwise known as government, the green building movement has traction making it essential that attorneys representing building owners and tenants know about “green buildings” and “green leases.” The green building movement has changed how buildings are built, renovated, operated and maintained. It is also changing the relationship between landlords and tenants.
While there is no definitive definition of a “green building,” most people equate a building with a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating as being a green building. LEED developed by U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is not the only rating system for buildings but is the one that is widely recognized.