Environmental

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Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Report Finds that Existing Technologies Could Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Buildings by 25% by 2050
Posted on 19 May 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On May 16, 2011, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report that found that greenhouse gas emissions from residential, commercial and public buildings, which currently... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , CHP , solar heating , International Energy Agency , thermal energy storage , emissions , energy-efficient technologies , energy efficiency , greenhouse gases , IEA

Arnold & Porter: Hydraulic Fracturing – Legislative and Regulatory Materials and the Comprehensive Case Chart
Posted on 3 Aug 2012 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP Hydraulic fracturing (fracking), a process used by the oil and gas industry for more than 60 years, has attracted the national spotlight. By injecting fluids and other materials... Read More

Tags: Utica Shale , oil wells , Cullen Howe , fracking , drinking water , clean air , shale gas , natural gas drilling , Arnold Porter , hydraulic fracturing , Marcellus Shale , groundwater contamination

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: New York Passes Innovative Financing Mechanism for Improving Building Energy Efficiency
Posted on 2 Jul 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On June 22, 2011, the New York State Legislature passed The Power NY Act of 2011 (A. 8510/S. 5844) (PNY Act).[1] Governor Cuomo is expected to sign it. The new law, once enacted... Read More

Tags: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative , carbon dioxide , Cullen Howe , on-bill recovery , Green Buildings , electric utilities , solar photovoltaic , energy efficiency , financing , green jobs

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Report Quantifies the Environmental Value of Building Reuse
Posted on 2 Apr 2012 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP Recently, the Preservation Green Lab of the National Trust for Historic Preservation issued a report that confirms the environmental benefit of building reuse. The report concludes... Read More

Tags: historic buildings , New York , carbon emissions , Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , building reuse , Climate Change , energy efficient buildings , Columbia Law School , National Trust for Historic Preservation , retrofitting

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Court Refuses to Dismiss Lawsuit Concerning PACE Program in California
Posted on 15 Sep 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP A federal court in California recently issued a decision, California ex rel. Harris v. Fed. Hous. Fin. Agency, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 96235 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 26, 2011) , partially... Read More

Tags: Freddie Mac , Cullen Howe , clean energy , mortgages , Northern District of California , Fannie Mae , Columbia Law School , PACE , energy efficiency , California v Federal Housing Finance , tax liens

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Department of Energy Requires States to Review and Possibly Update Their Building Energy Codes
Posted on 26 Jul 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP The Department of Energy recently published two final determinations that will require states to review and possibly update their residential and commercial building energy efficiency... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , building energy , ASHRAE , building codes , IECC , model codes , energy conservation , Energy Policy Act , energy efficiency

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Department of Energy Will Use Full-Fuel-Cycle Analysis When Determining Energy Conservation Standards for Appliances
Posted on 31 Aug 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On August 18, 2011, the Department of Energy said in a policy statement (Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Statement... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , GHG , appliance efficiency , full fuel cycle , energy conservation , Columbia Law School , Department of Energy , energy efficiency , greenhouse gases , National Energy Modeling System

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: New York City Enacts Three More Recommendations From the Green Codes Task Force
Posted on 4 Jan 2012 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On December 27, 2011, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed into law three bills that enacted recommendations of the New York City Green Codes Task Force. The bills are... Read More

Tags: New York , city planning , carbon emissions , landfills , Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , building codes , Columbia Law School , Recycling , clean water

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: President Directs Federal Agencies to Enter Into $2 Billion Worth of Energy Efficiency Contracts for Buildings
Posted on 29 Dec 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On December 2, 2011, President Barack Obama directed federal agencies to enter into at least $2 billion worth of contracts over the next two years to improve government buildings'... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , building energy , energy savings , government buildings , Better Building Initiative , energy conservation , Columbia Law School , Department of Energy , energy efficiency

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Dept. of Energy and ASHRAE Sign Memorandum of Agreement to Develop Energy Efficiency Standards for Buildings
Posted on 9 Aug 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On July 25, 2011, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) announced that they had signed a memorandum... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , smart grid , building energy , ASHRAE , energy conservation , Columbia Law School , energy efficiency

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Recent Report Quantifies the Market for Energy Efficiency Retrofits
Posted on 23 Apr 2012 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP In March, The Rockefeller Foundation and DB Climate Change Advisors released a research paper entitled United States Building Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Market Sizing and Financing... Read More

Tags: historic buildings , Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , building reuse , energy savings , energy efficient buildings , Energy Service Agreements , Property Assessed Clean Energy , Columbia Law School , greenhouse gases , retrofitting

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: PACE Update-Court Issues Decision Concerning Litigation Over FHFA’s Stance and Agency Issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Posted on 5 Sep 2012 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP This blog has been following the controversy surrounding Property Assessed Clean Energy, more commonly referred to as PACE. Here's an update: Background In the last... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , clean energy , energy savings , energy efficient buildings , Renewable Energy , Columbia Law School , PACE

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: EPA Announces Competition to Improve Building Energy Efficiency
Posted on 9 May 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On May 2, 2011, EPA announced the Battle of the Buildings , a competition among commercial, medical, educational, and public buildings to reduce energy use. The competition... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , Statements of Energy Performance , energy use , Battle of the Buildings , Energy Star , energy consumption , building energy efficiency , EPA

Columbia Law School Center for Climate Change Law: Obama Administration Launches Better Buildings Challenge
Posted on 8 Jul 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP On June 30 th , the Department of Energy announced the Better Buildings Challenge , a public-private partnership that seeks to solicit large-scale commitments and provide financing... Read More

Tags: commercial buildings , Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , energy audits , Better Buildings Challenge , energy conservation , energy retrofits , Better Buildings Initiative , energy efficiency

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing: Recent Controversy and Litigation
Posted on 29 Nov 2011 by J. Cullen Howe

By J. Cullen Howe, Environmental Law Specialist, Arnold & Porter LLP There is a continuing controversy over Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, which provides loans for improving energy efficiency in buildings. Property Assessed Clean... Read More

Tags: Cullen Howe , Green Buildings , GHG , clean energy , emissions , Arnold Porter , Property Assessed Clean Energy , PACE , energy efficiency , greenhouse gases , global warming