Advocacy

The largest solar array in NYC is at the Octagon.

Urban Green Council acts as a catalyst to promote green building practices and advocate for their adoption. We work with state and local governments, public and private sector entities, as well as the general public. Our input is sought on major policies, legislative and regulatory initiatives, and executive orders in New York City.

In 2007 we demonstrated the success of our efforts when New York City's milestone, green building law (Local Law 86) came into effect. This development alone will result in an estimated $12 billion in municipal construction being built to USGBC's LEED standards by 2017.

In addition, current and former Urban Green Council Board members actively participated in the development of PlaNYC, an ambitious green blueprint for the city with an emphasis on buildings, announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in April 2007.

Green Codes Task Force

Taking the lead in laying a foundation for urban green building, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn asked Urban Green Council to convene a Green Codes Task Force in July 2008 to help green the laws and regulations that govern construction in the city. The Green Codes Task Force will set a standard for other municipalities to follow, as we strive to make New York one of the greenest cities in the world.

The Task Force's ambitious goal is to sift though the city's construction codes, identifying impediments to green building and proposing additions that will encourage green practices in the marketplace. The Task Force will deliver a report in the Summer of 2009 with recommendations and proposed statutory code language.

Comprised of top professional practitioners and stakeholders in the New York City building industry, the Task Force is led by a Steering Committee, including the chairs of eight specialized Technical Committees. Together with an Industry Advisory Committee, our research will generate recommendations based on field-specific knowledge and experience. As the report moves through the legislative process, we hope to continue to draw on the expertise of our committee members.

Learn more and view the lists of Committee members.