Why are green office buildings becoming popular?
"Green office building has taken off. Projects registered with the U.S. Green Building Council more than doubled in the past year to above 1,700, with more than 280 projects in California...
Why are they going green? Studies show that green office buildings can lower energy bills, cutmaintenance costs and even boost worker productivity, all for an average upfront cost of 2 to 4 percent more than conventional building. Building green both enhances the health of occupants and helps the environment by reducing electricity use, greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste.
Government agencies are leading the way..."
Thanks to Sustainablog
FULL STORY: Green building goes commercial

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

More Apartments Are Being Built in Less-Dense Areas
Rising housing costs in urban cores and a demand for rental housing is driving more multifamily development to exurbs and small metros.

Plastic Bag Bans Actually Worked
U.S. coastal areas with plastic bag bans or fees saw significant reductions in plastic bag pollution — but plastic waste as a whole is growing.

Improving Indoor Air Quality, One Block at a Time
A movement to switch to electric appliances at the neighborhood scale is taking off in California.
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