Local Leaders in Sustainability: Green Counties
The number of county-based green building programs in the U.S. has almost quintupled, growing from a mere eight in 2003 to 39 in just five years, according to a study by the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
The study, “Local Leaders in Sustainability: Green Counties,” singled out four — Alameda County, Calif., Hennepin, County, Minn., King County, Wash., and Montgomery County, Md. — for having “solid best practice examples of programs that can be viewed as models.”
“These counties are also representative of the original innovators at the county level,” the AIA said in releasing its report on July 9. “Partially as a result of policies such as these, buildings across the country have undergone a revolution in terms of the emphasis that is placed on resource efficiency and life-cycle performance.”
The report included case studies of the four counties and their extensive eco-friendly programs and services. Many of them grew out of strong work partnerships among public agencies and private developers groups, the report said.
