• Identify a municipal project that can serve as a demonstration project. Chicago tested green building on the Chicago Center for Green Technology. The goal was to evaluate how green building standards support city goals for healthy work places, operational savings, and resource conservation. The renovation project earned a LEED Platinum rating, and its success led to the adoption of a green building policy for municipal buildings.
• Adopt a green building policy for municipal buildings. For more examples of policies, check the website of the US Green Building Council, which publishes an updated list of local government Initiatives.

Rating systems:  Green building standards  or rating systems provide a benchmark through a set of goals and criteria. Systems that rely on third-party verification provide an additional level of accountability and credibility.

• There are a number of respected local or national rating systems that can be applied for each building type. These programs were developed with broad stakeholder input. By adopting existing systems, municipalities can limit administrative burdens and direct resources toward actions that will have a more immediate impact on market adoption.
• Identify and adopt appropriate green building standards for the local building market. LEED and Energy Star have been the most commonly adopted standard for municipal and commercial buildings.

There are more than 70 local residential programs in addition to several national programs. Learn more about residential programs.

Recognize leaders:  Leaders influence change in the marketplace. Recognizing them is a relatively simple and cost effective strategy that will have a positive impact.

• Feature successful projects on websites, or publish case studies that highlight green building strategies and benefits. Alameda County features case studies of municipal, commercial and residential projects.
• Establish an awards program to honor industry leaders and exceptional projects. Consider integrating green building awards into an existing awards program that recognizes environmental leadership, or through a partnership strategy that supports common goals and leverages shared resources. The BetterBricks Leadership Awards is a partnership program funded by utilities in a four-state region.