• Green Buildings
  • Learn
  • Plan
    • Leading Actions
    • Commit to Action
    • Start Fast
    • Assess the Situation
    • Set Goals
    • Plan
    • Implement
    • Measure Success
  • Act
Plan
A good green building plan will identify policies and measures that local governments can take to practice and promote green building.
High Point Redevelopment, Seattle, WA, is a green community that features affordable mixed with market rate green homes, pocket parks, an organic neighborhood P-patch garden, porous pavement sidewalk, and natural drainage system. Photo Credit: George Nemeth

The plan may also establish a timeline, a description of staff and financial resources required, and an assignment of responsibility to departments and staff. Most green building plans will also incorporate public awareness and education efforts to generate support for green building within the broader community. A well formulated plan is comprehensive, and targets key leverage points.

A comprehensive plan may address the following:

  • Public process for broad stakeholder input. 
  • Staff and funding resources required, and how resources will be allocated. 
  • Assignment of roles and responsibility to departments and staff.
  • Specific needs for primary building types.
  • Appropriate green building standards for the residential and commercial segments.
  • Technical assistance needs for green building and innovative strategies. 
  • Incentives that will be meaningful to early adopters and local industry stakeholders.
  • Evaluation protocol to measure success.

Examples:

  • San Jose, California’s Report and Recommendations on Green Building Program Guidelines
  • Build Green NW Communications Campaign 
  • Boston Green Building Task Force Report Executive Summary, Fall 2004

Policies and Measures

Policies and measures will typically fall under education and outreach, catalyst and pilot projects, technical assistance, regulatory changes, and incentives. See Policy Levers for a more detailed discussion about the best times to use specific actions.

Education and outreach

  • Forge strategic partnerships.
  • Outreach goals and objectives.
  • Speaking points to convey key messages. 
  • Educational priorities for staff and elected officials.
  • Educational events and programs for industry target audiences.

Catalyst and pilot projects

  • Municipal buildings green building policy.
  • Pilot projects to test green building and demonstrate cost-effectiveness.

Technical assistance

  • Tools and resources that support delivery of municipal green buildings.
  • Technical assistance programs and resources.

Regulatory changes

  • Changes that remove barriers.
  • Changes that mainstream green building.

Incentives

  • Financial, process improvement and development incentives.
  • Recognition of leaders and successful projects.

Examples and resources that may be helpful are: