Playbook for Green Buildings + Neighborhoods | Plan | Buildings | Assess the Situation

Many local governments already have a clear understanding of the capacity for practicing and promoting green building.

But if your city or county government is just beginning down this road, start Government Capacity Building by assessing internal capacity.

Is there support from elected officials, and how knowledgeable are they?
Are there green building champions and knowledgeable staff?
Will organizational structures support a cross-departmental initiative?
Which existing programs can provide a foundation for initiating a green building plan? Common related government programs may include: environmental management, energy and water conservation, low-impact development strategies for stormwater and drainage, waste reduction and recycling, renewable energy and green power, transportation demand management, and sustainability.
What institutional barriers and regulatory barriers exist? For example, are there staff and financial constraints? Will codes and regulations support green building and innovative strategies?
Are there capital facilities in the planning or design phase that can serve as pilot or demonstration projects?
Are there policies in place that are supported by green building, and can be leveraged to garner support?

Answering these and other questions creates a better understanding of current institutional capacity. You can also identify related programs and initiatives that provide a foundation. And you may discover key barriers that need to be addressed. A good example of a comprehensive assessment is the Greening the Washington Metropolitan Region’s Built Environment analysis.

Over the next 30 years, the building stock is projected to grow to nearly 400 billion square feet. About 75% of the buildings will either be built or renovated in that period. (Nelson, 2004)