“Active participation by key City departments in the form of education, staffing, and other resources will be needed to ensure the success of the Task Force’s recommendations. Expanding coordination efforts will be required from all agencies that help to manage the City’s built environment.” — Mayor’s Task Force for Green Building Report, San Francisco

Management Resources:

Internal capacity building addresses issues and strategies to consider when you are implementing a green building plan. Putting the right team in charge, identifying funding sources, and coordinating across related departments are issues that you may need to address.

For the best results: There should be dedicated staff experienced with program implementation who are skilled in working with a group drawn from the departments that interface with building design, construction and operations. Involving people from several departments draws on broader expertise that enriches the process.

Financial Resources:

Local governments will need to invest funding for personnel, staff training, outreach materials, demonstration projects, financial incentives and other expenses.

Potential sources of funding may include: general fund, permitting fees, and conservation funds from utilities. If possible, secure enough funding that can continue from year to year.

Budget analysts are vital members of a working group and can help identify financial resources within established agency budgets. They can also help develop new budget requests for upcoming budget cycles to meet the funding goals identified in the plan.

Seattle’s green building program is co-funded by a number of agencies and funding sources, including: general fund, permit fees, water conservation and drainage funds, waste management funds, and energy conservation funds.